Used as a chiral building block in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals, particularly in the development of protease inhibitors and other biologically active peptides. Its protected amine and carboxylic acid groups allow for selective coupling reactions, making it valuable in solid-phase and solution-phase peptide synthesis. The benzyl side chain provides structural similarity to phenylalanine, enabling its use in designing enzyme inhibitors and receptor ligands. Commonly employed in the preparation of intermediates for drugs targeting viral infections, cardiovascular diseases, and metabolic disorders.