Used in advanced organic synthesis as a chiral building block for the preparation of complex natural products and bioactive molecules. Its strained ring structure and functional groups make it valuable in stereoselective reactions, particularly in the development of pharmaceutical intermediates. Commonly employed in ring-expansion and cyclization reactions to construct polycyclic frameworks. Also utilized in research settings for probing reaction mechanisms involving lactone rearrangements. Shows potential in the design of enzyme inhibitors due to its structural similarity to transition state analogs.