Used as an intermediate in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals, particularly in the development of active ingredients for central nervous system (CNS) drugs. It serves as a building block in the preparation of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and other psychotropic agents due to its ability to enhance lipophilicity and metabolic stability in drug molecules. Also employed in the production of liquid crystal materials for display technologies, where its fluorinated biphenyl structure contributes to favorable dielectric and optical properties. Its ethyl and fluoro substituents allow fine-tuning of molecular polarity and conformation, making it valuable in structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies during drug design.