Used in the synthesis of pharmaceutical intermediates, particularly in the development of serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors. It serves as a building block in the preparation of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) for antidepressant and anxiolytic drugs. Its structure allows for easy functionalization, making it valuable in medicinal chemistry for creating compounds with central nervous system activity. Also employed in research settings to develop novel amine-containing molecules for biological evaluation.