Used in the pharmaceutical industry as an intermediate in the synthesis of SGLT2 inhibitors, which are a class of drugs for the management of type 2 diabetes. It plays a key role in developing medications that help lower blood glucose levels by promoting the excretion of excess glucose through urine. Its structure allows for efficient modification into active pharmaceutical ingredients with high selectivity and potency. Additionally, it is utilized in research settings to explore new antidiabetic agents and improve metabolic profiles of candidate drugs.