Used in pharmaceutical research as a key intermediate in the synthesis of dopamine transporter (DAT) inhibitors. Shows potential in the development of treatments for neurological disorders such as depression, ADHD, and cocaine addiction due to its ability to modulate dopamine reuptake. Its structural features enhance binding affinity to DAT, making it valuable in structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies. Also explored in radiolabeled form for use in positron emission tomography (PET) imaging to study brain dopamine activity.