Used as a key intermediate in the synthesis of fluoroquinolone antibiotics, particularly in the production of quinolone-based antimicrobial agents. Its structure serves as a foundational scaffold for introducing various substituents at specific positions, enabling the development of drugs with enhanced activity against bacterial DNA gyrase and topoisomerase IV. Commonly employed in pharmaceutical research and development for optimizing potency, spectrum of activity, and pharmacokinetic properties in new anti-infective agents.