Used as a chiral building block in the synthesis of pharmaceutical intermediates, particularly in the development of bioactive molecules requiring stereochemical control. Its hydroxyl and carboxylate functionalities allow for selective derivatization, making it valuable in constructing complex piperidine-based structures found in central nervous system agents and enzyme inhibitors. The compound's rigid cyclic framework and defined stereochemistry support high selectivity in asymmetric synthesis, often employed in medicinal chemistry for optimizing drug candidates.