Used primarily as a photoacid generator in photoresist materials for semiconductor manufacturing. Upon exposure to UV or deep UV light, it releases acid which catalyzes chemical transformations in the resist, enabling precise pattern development during lithography. Also employed in research settings for studying photochemical reactions and as a precursor in the synthesis of functionalized indoline derivatives with potential biological activity. Its nitro and bromo substituents allow further chemical modifications, making it useful in organic synthesis and materials science.