Used as a chiral building block in pharmaceutical synthesis, particularly in the production of antidiabetic and antiviral drugs. Its enantiomerically pure form enables stereoselective reactions, improving the efficacy and safety of active pharmaceutical ingredients. Also employed in metabolic studies as a stable isotope-labeled tracer to investigate human energy metabolism and ketone body dynamics. Additionally, it serves as an intermediate in the synthesis of biodegradable polymers and specialty esters for fine chemical applications.