Used as an intermediate in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals, particularly in the development of antiviral and anticancer agents. It serves as a building block in the preparation of pyrimidine derivatives, which are essential structures in nucleoside analogs. These analogs can interfere with DNA or RNA synthesis in pathogens or tumor cells, making them valuable in medicinal chemistry. Also employed in research settings for studying enzyme inhibition and metabolic pathways involving uracil metabolism.