Used as a chiral building block in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals, particularly in the development of protease inhibitors and other bioactive molecules. Its hydroxyl and carboxylic acid functional groups allow for selective derivatization, making it valuable in peptide mimetic design. Commonly employed in asymmetric synthesis to introduce stereocenters, especially in drugs targeting viral infections and metabolic disorders. The Boc-protected amine ensures compatibility with multi-step synthetic routes, enabling controlled deprotection and coupling in complex molecule assembly.