Used as a key intermediate in the synthesis of fluorinated pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals, particularly in the development of herbicides and fungicides. Its nitrile and halogen functional groups allow for further chemical transformations, making it valuable in building complex aromatic compounds. Commonly employed in cross-coupling reactions and nucleophilic substitutions to introduce the benzonitrile moiety into active ingredients. Also utilized in research for designing new bioactive molecules due to its electron-withdrawing properties and structural stability.