Used in pharmaceutical research as an intermediate in the synthesis of bioactive molecules, particularly those targeting neurological pathways. It serves as a building block in the development of serotonin receptor modulators and has been explored in the design of compounds with potential antidepressant or anxiolytic effects. Also utilized in the preparation of fluorescent probes for biochemical assays due to its favorable photophysical properties. Its structural motif is found in several indole-based drug candidates, making it valuable in medicinal chemistry for structure-activity relationship studies.