Used in the synthesis of pharmaceutical intermediates, particularly in the production of chiral compounds for drug development. Its enantiomeric purity makes it valuable in asymmetric synthesis, where it serves as a building block for active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) requiring specific stereochemistry. Also employed in analytical chemistry as a chiral derivatizing agent to resolve racemic mixtures. Shows utility in research settings for studying metabolic pathways and enzyme interactions due to its structural similarity to natural metabolites.