Used as an intermediate in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals, particularly in the development of benzimidazole-based drugs which exhibit antiviral, antifungal, and antiparasitic activities. It serves as a building block in medicinal chemistry for designing compounds that target helicase enzymes in viruses. Also employed in the preparation of water-soluble ligands for catalysis and in the formulation of dyes due to its sulfonic acid group enhancing solubility and stability.