Used primarily as an intermediate in organic synthesis, especially in the pharmaceutical industry. It serves as a building block for the preparation of more complex molecules, including active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs). The presence of both hydroxyl and nitro functional groups allows for selective transformations—such as reduction of the nitro group to an amine or derivatization of the alcohol—enabling its use in constructing nitrogen-containing heterocycles or prodrug forms. It is also employed in the development of dyes and agrochemicals due to its aromatic nitro structure, which can be tailored for specific electronic or binding properties.