Used as a chiral building block in pharmaceutical synthesis, particularly in the production of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors. Its thiol and carboxylic acid functional groups allow for versatile chemical modifications, making it valuable in developing bioactive molecules. Also employed in asymmetric synthesis due to its stereochemical purity, enabling the creation of enantiomerically pure drugs. Additionally, it can act as a ligand in catalytic reactions, supporting the development of complex organic compounds with high selectivity.