Used in pharmaceutical research as an intermediate in the synthesis of nucleoside analogs, particularly for antiviral drug development. Its structure supports modification of purine bases, enabling the creation of compounds with potential activity against viruses such as HIV and hepatitis. Also employed in the design of prodrugs due to its ability to mask polar functional groups, improving cell membrane permeability. Commonly utilized in solid-phase peptide and nucleotide synthesis when coupled with protecting group strategies.