Used as a key intermediate in the synthesis of herbicides, particularly in the production of aryloxyphenoxypropionate class herbicides which are effective against grass weeds in broadleaf crops. It serves as a building block for creating compounds with selective weed control properties. Also utilized in the development of certain pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals due to its aromatic and functional group arrangement that supports bioactive molecule design. Its structure allows for further chemical modifications, making it valuable in research and industrial synthetic pathways.