Used as a chiral intermediate in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals, particularly in the development of central nervous system (CNS) agents and antidepressants. Its enantiomeric purity makes it valuable in creating drugs with targeted biological activity and reduced side effects. Commonly employed in medicinal chemistry for structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies involving aromatic and fluorinated compounds. Also utilized in the preparation of selective receptor ligands due to the presence of halogen and trifluoromethyl groups that enhance binding affinity and metabolic stability.