Used as a glycosyl donor in carbohydrate chemistry, particularly in the synthesis of complex oligosaccharides and glycoconjugates. Its protected functional groups allow selective deprotection and coupling, making it valuable in constructing mannose-containing structures found in biologically active natural products and pharmaceuticals. Commonly employed in the preparation of antigenic glycans for vaccine development and in studies of glycosidase enzymes due to its stable thioglycoside linkage.