Used as a key intermediate in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals, particularly in the development of herbicides and plant growth regulators. It plays a role in the production of sulfonylurea herbicides, which are widely applied in agriculture for selective weed control in crops such as rice, wheat, and soybeans. Its structure enables effective binding to the acetolactate synthase (ALS) enzyme in plants, inhibiting amino acid synthesis and leading to weed suppression. Additionally, it serves as a building block in medicinal chemistry for designing bioactive molecules with potential antifungal and anticancer properties.