Used primarily as a synthetic intermediate in organic chemistry research, particularly in the development of indole-based compounds. It serves as a building block for pharmaceuticals and bioactive molecules due to the indole scaffold’s prevalence in medicinal chemistry. Its carboxylic acid functional group allows for easy derivatization, enabling the synthesis of amides, esters, and other derivatives for structure-activity relationship studies. Commonly employed in the preparation of cannabinoid receptor ligands and related psychoactive substance analogs for forensic and pharmacological research. Also utilized in analytical laboratories as a reference standard for detecting and identifying synthetic cannabinoids in biological samples.