Used as a key intermediate in the synthesis of antiviral and antiretroviral drugs, particularly in the development of nucleotide analogs that inhibit viral polymerase enzymes. Its phosphonate group mimics phosphate groups in nucleotides, allowing it to integrate into viral DNA or RNA chains and terminate chain elongation. This compound is especially valuable in prodrug formulations designed to enhance cellular uptake and bioavailability. It also serves in medicinal chemistry research for designing enzyme inhibitors targeting herpesviruses, hepatitis B, and HIV. Additionally, its structural features make it useful in studying structure-activity relationships in phosphorylated metabolites.