Used in organic synthesis as a building block for pharmaceuticals and natural products due to its α,β-unsaturated ester structure, which readily undergoes Michael addition and cycloaddition reactions. Serves as an intermediate in the preparation of bioactive molecules, including anti-inflammatory and antioxidant agents. Also applied in fragrance and flavor synthesis because of its structural similarity to vanillin derivatives. Its phenolic and ester functionalities allow for easy modification in the development of functional materials and specialty chemicals.