Used as a key intermediate in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals, particularly in the development of kinase inhibitors for cancer treatment. It serves as a building block in the preparation of bioactive molecules due to its structural similarity to pyridinone scaffolds found in various enzyme inhibitors. Its hydroxy and chloro functional groups allow for selective modifications, enabling the formation of carbon–heteroatom bonds through cross-coupling or nucleophilic substitution reactions. Commonly employed in medicinal chemistry for optimizing lead compounds targeting inflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases.