Used as a key intermediate in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals, particularly in the development of isoquinoline-based bioactive compounds. It serves in the preparation of alkaloid derivatives with potential antitumor, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties. Its reactivity allows for the introduction of the isoquinoline moiety into larger molecular frameworks, making it valuable in medicinal chemistry for drug discovery and in the creation of fluorescent probes for biochemical assays.