Used primarily as an intermediate in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals, particularly in the production of local anesthetics such as articaine. It plays a key role in constructing the molecular framework of certain amide-type anesthetics due to its functional groups that allow for further chemical modifications. Additionally, it serves in the preparation of specialty chemicals where a tertiary amine and aldehyde functionality are required in the reaction pathway. Its structure enables efficient transformation into active drug substances through well-controlled reaction sequences.