Used as an intermediate in the synthesis of pharmaceutical compounds, particularly in the development of indole-based drugs. Its aldehyde functional group allows for further chemical modifications, such as reductive amination or condensation reactions, enabling the construction of complex molecular structures. The tert-butyl carbamate moiety acts as a protecting group for the amino group at the 6-position, facilitating selective reactions by preventing interference from the amine. Commonly employed in medicinal chemistry for creating analogs with potential biological activity, including kinase inhibitors and serotonin receptor modulators. Also utilized in research settings for labeling or probing biomolecules due to its reactive aldehyde moiety.