Used as a key intermediate in the synthesis of fluoroquinolone antibiotics, particularly in the production of advanced antimicrobial agents. Its structure supports the development of drugs with enhanced activity against resistant bacterial strains. Commonly employed in pharmaceutical research to build the core quinolone scaffold, enabling modifications that improve drug potency, solubility, and pharmacokinetic properties. Also utilized in the preparation of novel derivatives for biological screening in anti-infective and anticancer drug discovery programs.