Used primarily as an intermediate in the synthesis of antimalarial drugs, particularly in the production of artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs). It plays a key role in modifying the artemisinin structure to enhance stability, bioavailability, or efficacy against Plasmodium species. Due to its reduced oxygen content compared to artemisinin, it allows chemists to introduce specific functional groups necessary for creating more potent derivatives like artesunate or artemether. Also utilized in research settings to study structure-activity relationships in sesquiterpene lactones with antimalarial properties.