Used as a chiral building block in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals, particularly in the development of central nervous system agents. Its enantiomeric purity makes it valuable for creating active ingredients in antidepressants, antipsychotics, and other neuroactive drugs. Commonly employed in asymmetric synthesis to introduce chirality into larger molecules. Also utilized in the preparation of fluorinated analogs of bioactive compounds to enhance metabolic stability and binding affinity.