Used as a key intermediate in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals, particularly in the development of central nervous system agents and analgesics. Its rigid cyclohexane backbone with defined stereochemistry makes it valuable for designing drugs with high selectivity and improved metabolic stability. Commonly employed in the preparation of receptor agonists and antagonists, especially those targeting GPCRs involved in pain modulation. Also utilized in medicinal chemistry for structure-activity relationship studies due to its ability to lock functional groups in specific spatial orientations.