Used as an intermediate in the synthesis of pharmaceutical compounds, particularly in the development of central nervous system (CNS) agents. Its structure allows for selective modifications, making it valuable in creating analogs for drug discovery. Commonly employed in the preparation of fluorinated piperidine derivatives, which are found in bioactive molecules with potential antipsychotic, antidepressant, or analgesic properties. The bromomethyl group enables easy functionalization through nucleophilic substitution, facilitating the introduction of various side chains in medicinal chemistry pathways.