Used as an intermediate in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals, particularly in the development of antimalarial drugs. Its structure supports the formation of quinoline-based active compounds that exhibit biological activity against Plasmodium species. Also employed in research settings for the preparation of fluorescent dyes and sensors due to the inherent photophysical properties of the quinoline core. The ester group allows for easy functionalization, making it valuable in organic synthesis and medicinal chemistry for building more complex molecules.