Used as a key intermediate in the synthesis of β-lactam antibiotics, particularly in the production of carbapenem and penem classes. Its protected diester form allows selective deprotection and functionalization, enabling efficient construction of complex antibiotic scaffolds. Widely employed in pharmaceutical research for developing novel antimicrobial agents with broad-spectrum activity. Also utilized in asymmetric synthesis due to its chiral backbone, supporting the preparation of stereochemically defined heterocyclic compounds.