Used as an intermediate in the synthesis of pharmaceutical compounds, particularly in the development of central nervous system (CNS) active agents. Its structure supports the creation of selective receptor modulators, including those targeting dopamine and serotonin receptors. Commonly employed in research settings to develop potential antipsychotic and antidepressant drugs. The cyano and chlorophenyl groups enable further chemical modifications, making it valuable in medicinal chemistry for structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies. Also utilized in the preparation of high-purity reference standards for analytical testing.