Used as a key intermediate in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals, particularly in the production of certain central nervous system (CNS) active drugs. It serves as a chiral building block in the development of serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors. Its amine functionality allows for easy incorporation into more complex molecules, making it valuable in medicinal chemistry for drug discovery and optimization. Commonly employed in research settings for the preparation of analogs in structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies.