Used as a chiral intermediate in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals, particularly in the development of protease inhibitors. Its stereochemistry allows for selective reactions in asymmetric synthesis, making it valuable in creating biologically active molecules with high enantiomeric purity. Commonly employed in the preparation of peptide-like structures where the tert-butoxy group acts as a protecting group, facilitating stepwise construction of complex drug candidates. Its carboxylic acid and amino functionalities enable coupling reactions, useful in solid-phase and solution-phase peptide synthesis.