Used as an intermediate in the synthesis of pharmaceutical compounds, particularly in the development of indole-based drugs. Its functional groups—aldehyde and nitro—allow for further chemical modifications, enabling the construction of complex molecular structures. Commonly employed in medicinal chemistry for creating analogs with potential biological activity, including kinase inhibitors and anti-inflammatory agents. Also utilized in research settings to develop fluorescent probes due to the inherent photophysical properties of the indole scaffold. The tert-butyl carbamate group acts as a protecting group, facilitating selective reactions at other sites of the molecule during multi-step syntheses.