Used primarily as an intermediate in the synthesis of pharmaceutical compounds, particularly in the development of antimalarial and anticancer agents. Its structure allows for selective functionalization, making it valuable in medicinal chemistry for building complex quinoline-based molecules. It is also employed in research settings to develop novel bioactive compounds and in the preparation of fluorescent probes for biochemical assays. Due to its halogen and nitro groups, it serves as a versatile substrate in cross-coupling reactions, facilitating the formation of carbon-carbon and carbon-heteroatom bonds in drug discovery pipelines.