Used primarily in pharmaceutical research as a key intermediate in the synthesis of opioid receptor ligands. Its structure supports binding affinity to central nervous system targets, making it valuable in developing analgesic compounds. The presence of hydroxyl and benzyl groups allows for selective modifications, enabling optimization of pharmacokinetic properties such as blood-brain barrier penetration and metabolic stability. It is also explored in structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies to design novel pain management drugs with reduced side effects.