Used as a chiral building block in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals, particularly in the development of enzyme inhibitors and neuroactive compounds. Its trifluoromethyl group enhances metabolic stability and membrane permeability, making it valuable in medicinal chemistry. Commonly employed in the preparation of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) analogs for studying neurological disorders. Also utilized in asymmetric synthesis to introduce fluorinated motifs into bioactive molecules.