Used as a key intermediate in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals, particularly in the development of antimalarial and anticancer agents. Its structure allows for selective functionalization, making it valuable in medicinal chemistry for building complex heterocyclic compounds. It is also employed in the preparation of fluorescent probes due to the inherent photophysical properties of the quinoline core, useful in bioimaging and sensor technologies. Additionally, it serves as a ligand or building block in catalysis and coordination chemistry.