Used primarily as an intermediate in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals and biologically active compounds. Its structure supports the development of indole-based derivatives, which are important in medicinal chemistry for their potential antitumor, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties. Commonly employed in research settings to construct more complex heterocyclic systems, especially in the design of kinase inhibitors and serotonin receptor modulators. Also utilized in the preparation of fluorescent probes and dyes due to its conjugated aldehyde and nitro functional groups, enabling derivatization for imaging applications.