Used as a key intermediate in the synthesis of indirubin and indigo derivatives, which exhibit biological activity in anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory applications. Commonly employed in pharmaceutical research for developing kinase inhibitors, especially targeting cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) and glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3). Also utilized in the preparation of bioactive molecules for studying neurodegenerative diseases and cell signaling pathways. Its structure serves as a scaffold in medicinal chemistry due to its ability to interact with ATP-binding sites in enzymes.