Indole-5-carboxaldehyde is used as a reactant in preparation of curcumin derivatives as anti-proliferative & anti-inflammatory agents; and in synthesis of para-para stilbenophanes by McMurry coupling. It is also used as a reactant in stereoselective synthesis of dibenzylideneacetone derivatives as β-amyloid imaging probes and in structure-based drug design of aurora kinase A inhibitors.