Used as a key intermediate in the synthesis of sialic acid derivatives, which play important roles in glycobiology and pharmaceutical research. It serves in the development of glycoconjugate vaccines and antiviral agents, particularly those targeting influenza and other pathogens that interact with sialic acid on cell surfaces. The acetyl-protected groups enhance stability and solubility during synthetic processes, making it valuable in controlled oligosaccharide assembly. Commonly employed in enzymatic and chemical glycosylation studies to probe sialyltransferase activity or design sialic acid mimetics.