Used in the synthesis of pharmaceutical intermediates, particularly in developing compounds with central nervous system activity. It serves as a building block in organic reactions due to the carboxylic acid group and aromatic moiety, enabling the formation of esters, amides, and other derivatives. Commonly employed in research settings for structure-activity relationship studies, especially in neuropharmacology. Also utilized in the preparation of ligands for G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) owing to its structural similarity to bioactive phenylalkyl compounds.