Used as a photolabile protecting group reagent in organic synthesis, particularly for the protection of amines as carbamates that enable controlled release of free amines upon exposure to light. It can also be applied to alcohols to form photolabile carbonates. Its key applications are in peptide and nucleotide synthesis, where selective deprotection is required without affecting other functional groups. The 2-nitrobenzyl moiety facilitates clean, mild deprotection using long-wavelength UV light, making it valuable in solid-phase synthesis and the preparation of sensitive biomolecules. It is also employed in the design of light-activated prodrugs and in materials science for photoresponsive polymers.