This chiral intermediate, (3R,3aR,6R,6aR)-6-(benzyloxy)-hexahydrofuro[3,2-b]furan-3-ol, is primarily used in the pharmaceutical industry for the synthesis of Darunavir, a key HIV protease inhibitor. Its rigid bicyclic tetrahydrofuran core and specific stereochemistry enable optimal binding in the protease active site. It serves as a valuable building block in medicinal chemistry for developing peptidomimetic antiviral agents targeting aspartyl proteases.