Used as a key intermediate in the synthesis of glycosidase inhibitors, particularly in the development of antidiabetic agents. Its structural configuration allows it to mimic sugar moieties, making it valuable in designing drugs that regulate carbohydrate metabolism. It is also employed in the preparation of complex oligosaccharides for research in enzymatic pathways and cell signaling. Due to its multiple hydroxyl groups and stereochemical specificity, it serves as a chiral building block in asymmetric synthesis of bioactive molecules.