Used as an intermediate in the synthesis of antiviral agents, particularly in the production of nucleoside analogs that target RNA viruses. Its structure allows for selective modification of the sugar and base moieties, making it valuable in developing drugs with improved metabolic stability and bioavailability. Commonly employed in the preparation of modified ribonucleosides for use in therapeutic oligonucleotides and prodrug strategies. The presence of the thioether and nitrile functional groups enables further chemical transformations, facilitating conjugation or activation in multi-step synthetic routes toward active pharmaceutical ingredients.