Used primarily as an intermediate in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals. Its reactivity as an acyl chloride makes it suitable for forming amide and ester derivatives, which are common structural motifs in active ingredients. It is also employed in the preparation of liquid crystals and organic semiconductors due to the rigid biphenyl backbone, which supports pi-conjugation and molecular alignment. In research, it serves as a building block for creating more complex aromatic compounds through coupling and substitution reactions.