Used in the synthesis of pharmaceutical intermediates, particularly in the development of anxiolytic and sedative agents. It serves as a key building block in the preparation of imidazopyridine-based drugs, which interact with benzodiazepine receptors in the central nervous system. Its nitro group allows for further functionalization, enabling the creation of diverse derivatives for structure-activity relationship studies in drug discovery. Also employed in the development of fluorescent probes due to its favorable photophysical properties, useful in biochemical imaging and sensor technologies.