This chemical is primarily used as a fluorogenic substrate in enzymatic assays, particularly for detecting and quantifying chitinase activity. Chitinases are enzymes that break down chitin, a polysaccharide found in the cell walls of fungi and exoskeletons of arthropods. When the substrate is hydrolyzed by chitinase, it releases 4-methylumbelliferone, a fluorescent compound that can be easily measured using fluorescence spectroscopy. This makes it a valuable tool in research related to fungal biology, plant-pathogen interactions, and the development of antifungal agents. Additionally, it is utilized in environmental studies to assess chitin degradation in ecosystems and in industrial applications for monitoring enzyme activity in bioprocessing.