Used in research as a nucleobase analog in nucleic acid chemistry, particularly in the study of DNA and RNA structure and function. It serves as a building block for modified oligonucleotides, helping scientists investigate base pairing, genetic coding, and mutagenesis. Also employed in the development of antisense therapies and nucleotide-based pharmaceuticals due to its ability to form stable hydrogen-bonded complexes with pyrimidines. Its structural similarity to adenine allows it to be incorporated into nucleic acids to probe enzyme mechanisms in polymerases and repair proteins.