Used as a chiral building block in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals, particularly in the development of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) requiring high enantiomeric purity. Its structure supports the formation of complex molecules with defined stereochemistry, making it valuable in drug discovery for central nervous system agents, antivirals, and kinase inhibitors. The hydroxymethyl and carbonyl functional groups allow for further chemical modifications, enabling coupling reactions and ring expansions in multi-step organic syntheses. Commonly employed in research and development settings for optimizing potency and selectivity of drug candidates.