Used in the synthesis of antiviral and antidiabetic drugs due to its structural similarity to sugar molecules. It serves as a key chiral building block in pharmaceuticals, particularly in the development of glycosidase inhibitors. Commonly employed in the production of iminosugars, which are investigated for their potential in treating viral infections, cancer, and lysosomal storage disorders. Also utilized in biochemical research to study enzyme mechanisms involving carbohydrate processing.