Used as an intermediate in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals, particularly in the development of central nervous system (CNS) agents and kinase inhibitors. It serves as a building block in medicinal chemistry for constructing bioactive molecules due to its nitrogen-containing heterocyclic structure. Its derivatives show potential in anti-inflammatory and anticancer research, especially in targeted therapies where isoquinoline scaffolds enhance binding affinity to specific enzymes or receptors. Also employed in the preparation of fluorescent probes for biochemical assays owing to its favorable photophysical properties.