Used as a chiral intermediate in the synthesis of pharmaceutical compounds, particularly in the development of protease inhibitors and other bioactive molecules. Its stereochemistry allows for selective reactions in asymmetric synthesis, making it valuable in constructing complex drug structures. The presence of protected amine and ester functionalities enables stepwise coupling and deprotection strategies, commonly applied in peptide-based drug design. The cyanomethyl group can be further modified to introduce heterocycles or other functional groups important in medicinal chemistry.