Used as a chiral building block in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals, particularly in the development of central nervous system agents. Its structure supports the creation of bioactive molecules with high enantioselectivity, making it valuable in the production of antidepressants and anticonvulsant drugs. The ester and amine functionalities allow for easy modification and incorporation into complex molecular frameworks. Commonly employed in medicinal chemistry for structure-activity relationship studies due to its rigid aromatic backbone and stereochemical purity.