Used as an intermediate in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals, particularly in the production of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). It serves as a building block for arylacetic acid derivatives, which exhibit analgesic and antipyretic properties. Its structure allows for easy functionalization, making it valuable in medicinal chemistry for developing compounds with improved biological activity and selectivity. Also employed in research settings for designing enzyme inhibitors and studying structure-activity relationships in drug candidates.