This compound is primarily used in peptide synthesis, particularly in solid-phase peptide synthesis (SPPS). It serves as a building block for introducing the Fmoc (9-fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl) protecting group, which is crucial for stepwise peptide chain assembly. The Dde (1-(4,4-dimethyl-2,6-dioxocyclohexylidene)ethyl) group provides selective protection for the side chain of diaminopropionic acid (Dap), allowing for orthogonal deprotection strategies. This is especially useful in synthesizing complex peptides with multiple functional groups, where selective deprotection is required. Its application is common in the development of therapeutic peptides, peptidomimetics, and biochemical research tools.