Used as an intermediate in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals, particularly phenoxy carboxylic acid herbicides and plant growth regulators. These herbicides are effective for controlling broadleaf weeds in crops such as wheat, corn, and legumes by mimicking the plant hormone auxin, which leads to abnormal growth and eventual death of the target plants. The compound's structure enables selective reactivity in organic transformations, making it valuable for creating chiral compounds. It is also employed in research for designing bioactive molecules, as the derived products can influence metabolic pathways in plants and microorganisms.