Used as a chiral building block in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals, particularly in the development of neuroactive compounds and serotonin-related agents. Its structural similarity to tryptophan and tryptamine makes it valuable in medicinal chemistry for designing enzyme inhibitors and receptor modulators. Commonly employed in research settings to explore treatments for neurological disorders such as depression, anxiety, and migraines. Also utilized in asymmetric synthesis due to its stereospecific amine functionality, enabling the creation of enantiomerically pure drugs.