This compound is commonly used as a chiral building block and intermediate in carbohydrate chemistry asymmetric synthesis and pharmaceutical research.

The purpose of using this compound is to provide stereochemical control and protected hydroxyl functionality during the synthesis of complex organic molecules.

(-)-14-Di-O-benzyl-L-threitol is a chiral protected sugar alcohol derivative in which the 1 and 4 hydroxyl groups of L-threitol are protected with benzyl groups.