Used primarily as a chiral building block in organic synthesis, this compound serves as an efficient epoxide-opening reagent for the preparation of enantiomerically enriched beta-amino alcohols and other functionalized derivatives. Its activated sulfonate group facilitates nucleophilic attack, making it valuable in the synthesis of pharmaceutical intermediates, particularly in routes requiring stereochemical control. It is also employed in the modification of polymers and in asymmetric catalysis research due to its ability to introduce chiral centers in target molecules.