Used as a chiral building block in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals, particularly in the preparation of peptide-based drugs. Its protected amine group and free carboxylic acid allow for selective coupling reactions, making it valuable in solid-phase peptide synthesis. Commonly employed in the development of enzyme inhibitors and bioactive molecules where stereochemistry is critical. The benzyl carbamate (Cbz) protecting group can be removed under mild conditions, enabling further functionalization in multi-step syntheses.