Used as a key intermediate in the synthesis of pharmaceutical compounds, particularly in the development of central nervous system (CNS) agents. Its structure supports the modulation of receptor activity, making it valuable in creating analogs for neuroactive drugs. The presence of the trifluoromethyl group enhances metabolic stability and lipophilicity, which improves blood-brain barrier penetration. It is also employed in medicinal chemistry research to explore structure-activity relationships in cyclobutane-based derivatives.