Used as an intermediate in organic synthesis, particularly in the preparation of heterocyclic compounds and pharmaceuticals. It serves as an ester equivalent in the formation of amidines, which are key structural motifs in various bioactive molecules. Its reactivity allows for the introduction of cyclobutane-containing moieties into target compounds, useful in medicinal chemistry for modulating metabolic stability and lipophilicity. Commonly employed in the development of enzyme inhibitors and receptor ligands due to the strained ring system’s influence on conformational rigidity.