Used as a chiral building block in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals, particularly in the development of central nervous system (CNS) agents. Its structure supports the creation of bioactive molecules with high enantioselectivity, making it valuable in drug discovery for antidepressants, antipsychotics, and other neuroactive compounds. The amine functionality allows for easy derivatization, enabling rapid generation of compound libraries for screening. Commonly employed in asymmetric synthesis routes where the (R)-enantiomer imparts desired biological activity and improved metabolic stability.