Used as a chiral building block in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals, particularly in the development of protease inhibitors and other bioactive molecules. Its protected amine and reactive ester functionalities make it suitable for peptide coupling and sequential bond formation in multi-step organic syntheses. Commonly employed in the preparation of intermediates for antiviral and anticancer agents. The stereochemistry allows for stereoselective transformations, enhancing the efficiency and specificity of drug synthesis.