Used in pharmaceutical research as an intermediate in the synthesis of biologically active compounds, particularly in the development of serotonin receptor modulators and other central nervous system agents. Its nitrile and ester functional groups allow for further chemical transformations, making it valuable in constructing complex indole-based molecules for drug discovery. Also employed in the preparation of fluorescent probes and dyes due to the inherent photophysical properties of the indole scaffold. Commonly utilized in medicinal chemistry for structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies targeting neurological and psychiatric disorders.