Desfluoro-atorvastatin is primarily used in pharmaceutical research and development as a reference compound or intermediate in the synthesis of atorvastatin, a widely prescribed cholesterol-lowering drug. It serves as a key structural analog for studying the metabolic pathways and pharmacological properties of atorvastatin, aiding in the optimization of its therapeutic efficacy and safety. Additionally, it is utilized in analytical chemistry for method development and validation, ensuring accurate detection and quantification of atorvastatin and its metabolites in biological samples. Its role in drug discovery also extends to exploring structure-activity relationships, contributing to the design of new statin-based therapies with improved pharmacokinetic profiles.