Used as a key intermediate in the synthesis of pharmaceutical agents, particularly in the development of bioactive molecules targeting central nervous system disorders. Its structural features, including the trifluoromethoxy phenyl group and stereochemical configuration, make it valuable in medicinal chemistry for enhancing metabolic stability and receptor binding affinity. Commonly employed in the preparation of potent enzyme inhibitors and receptor modulators, especially in research focused on antidepressants, antipsychotics, and cognitive enhancers. The tert-butyl and ethyl ester groups allow for selective deprotection and functionalization, enabling diverse derivatization for structure-activity relationship studies.