Used as a key chiral building block in organic synthesis, particularly in the preparation of complex natural products and pharmaceuticals. Its rigid cyclic structure with protected hydroxyl groups makes it ideal for stereoselective reactions, enabling the controlled formation of carbon–carbon bonds. Commonly employed in the synthesis of nucleoside analogs, sugar-derived surfactants, and bioactive molecules where precise stereochemistry is critical. Also serves as an intermediate in the development of antiviral and anticancer agents due to its ability to mimic sugar moieties in biological systems.