Used in organic synthesis as an intermediate for pharmaceuticals and bioactive compounds. Serves as a building block in the development of serotonin receptor modulators and other neuroactive agents. Employed in research settings to study indole-based scaffolds for potential antidepressant or anxiolytic effects. Also utilized in the preparation of fluorescent probes due to the inherent photophysical properties of the indole core. Commonly modified through esterification, oxidation, or coupling reactions to generate derivatives for drug discovery.