Used primarily as an intermediate in the synthesis of pharmaceutical compounds, particularly in the development of sulfonamide-based drugs. Its structure allows for functionalization in antitumor and antimicrobial agents, where the sulfonyl group enhances binding affinity to biological targets. Also employed in research settings to design enzyme inhibitors due to its ability to mimic substrate transition states. Solubility in both aqueous and organic media makes it suitable for multistep reactions in drug discovery.