Used primarily as an intermediate in the synthesis of antiviral and anticancer agents, particularly nucleoside analogs. Its modified sugar moiety allows incorporation into nucleic acid chains, where it can interfere with viral replication or tumor cell proliferation. It is also employed in research settings to study enzyme mechanisms involving DNA and RNA polymerases. Due to its structural features, it serves as a key building block in the development of prodrugs targeting herpesviruses and hepatitis B.