1-Bromo-4-fluoronaphthalene is primarily utilized in organic synthesis as a versatile building block for the development of more complex chemical structures. Its applications include:

• Pharmaceutical Research: It serves as an intermediate in the synthesis of potential drug candidates, particularly in the development of compounds with naphthalene cores, which are common in various therapeutic agents.
• Material Science: This compound is used in the creation of organic electronic materials, such as organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) and semiconductors, due to its ability to modify electronic properties when incorporated into larger molecules.
• Agrochemicals: It acts as a precursor in the synthesis of agrochemicals, where fluorinated and brominated naphthalenes can enhance the efficacy and stability of pesticides or herbicides.
• Fluorescent Probes: It is employed in the design of fluorescent dyes and probes for biological imaging, leveraging its structural properties to achieve desired optical characteristics.
• Cross-Coupling Reactions: It is a valuable substrate in metal-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions, such as Suzuki or Buchwald-Hartwig couplings, to construct biaryl or heteroaryl systems.

Its unique combination of bromine and fluorine substituents makes it a valuable tool in various fields of chemistry.