Used primarily as an intermediate in organic synthesis, this compound serves in the preparation of pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, and functional materials. Its reactive bromomethyl group allows for easy substitution, making it valuable in the formation of carbon-carbon and carbon-heteroatom bonds. It is often employed in the development of ligands, dyes, and specialty polymers. Due to its ability to introduce benzyl groups with specific substitution patterns, it finds use in research settings for constructing complex aromatic structures.