Used primarily as an intermediate in organic synthesis, especially in the development of pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals. Its nitro group allows for further functionalization, such as reduction to an amine, enabling the construction of more complex molecules. It is also employed in photochemical studies due to the reactivity of the nitrophenyl group under light exposure. Additionally, it serves as a building block in the synthesis of dyes and functional materials where aromatic ketones with electron-withdrawing substituents are required.