Used as a key chiral intermediate in the synthesis of antiviral drugs, particularly in the production of nucleoside analogs. Its protected amine and hydroxyl groups allow selective reactions in multi-step organic syntheses. Commonly employed in the development of pharmaceuticals targeting RNA and DNA viruses due to its ability to mimic natural sugar moieties in nucleosides. Widely utilized in the preparation of protease inhibitors and reverse transcriptase inhibitors. Suitable for solid-phase and solution-phase peptide-like couplings in medicinal chemistry.