Used as an intermediate in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals, particularly in the production of beta-lactam antibiotics. It serves as a building block for introducing the glycine moiety in penicillin and cephalosporin analogs. Also employed in the preparation of peptide-like structures and heterocyclic compounds due to its reactive chloroacetyl group, which allows for further nucleophilic substitution reactions. Its ester functionality facilitates solubility and reactivity in organic solvents, making it suitable for multi-step synthetic routes in medicinal chemistry.