Used as a chiral building block in organic synthesis, particularly in the development of pharmaceuticals and fine chemicals. Its rigid cyclohexane backbone and two adjacent hydroxyl groups make it suitable for use in asymmetric synthesis and as a precursor in the preparation of ligands, catalysts, and cyclic derivatives such as acetals and ketals. It is also employed in the study of stereochemical effects in reaction mechanisms due to its defined trans-diol configuration. Additionally, it serves as a model compound in hydrogen bonding and conformational analysis research.