Used as a chiral building block in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals, particularly in the development of protease inhibitors and other biologically active compounds. Its hydroxyl and carboxylic acid functional groups allow for selective derivatization, making it valuable in medicinal chemistry for constructing complex molecules with high stereochemical purity. Commonly employed in solid-phase and solution-phase peptide synthesis due to the stability and orthogonal protection offered by the Boc group. Also utilized in the preparation of enzyme inhibitors where precise stereochemistry is critical for biological activity.