Used as a key intermediate in the synthesis of antiviral and anticancer nucleoside analogs. Its functional groups, including azide and iodomethyl, allow for selective modifications in sugar moieties, making it valuable in medicinal chemistry for developing prodrugs and modified nucleotides. The benzoate protecting groups stabilize the structure during synthesis and can be removed under mild conditions to reveal hydroxyl groups for further reactions. Commonly employed in the preparation of reverse transcriptase inhibitors and other bioactive molecules targeting viral replication.