Used primarily as a monomer in the synthesis of biodegradable polymers, particularly poly(δ-valerolactone), which finds application in biomedical fields such as drug delivery systems and tissue engineering due to its favorable degradation profile and biocompatibility. It also serves as an intermediate in organic synthesis and in the production of flavor and fragrance compounds owing to its pleasant odor. Additionally, it is explored in the development of sustainable plastics and copolymers with tunable mechanical and thermal properties.