Used as a key intermediate in the synthesis of complex carbohydrates and glycoconjugates. Its protected hydroxyl groups allow selective glycosylation reactions, making it valuable in the preparation of oligosaccharides found in biological molecules such as glycoproteins and glycolipids. Commonly employed in pharmaceutical research for developing glycosidase inhibitors and vaccine candidates. The acetyl groups stabilize the structure during reactions and can be easily removed under mild conditions to expose hydroxyl groups for further modification. Widely applied in both solution-phase and solid-phase oligosaccharide synthesis.