Used as a key intermediate in the synthesis of quinoline-based pharmaceuticals, particularly in the development of antimalarial and anticancer agents. Its structure, featuring iodine at the 7-position, allows for selective functionalization, making it valuable in medicinal chemistry for building complex heterocyclic systems. Commonly employed in cross-coupling reactions such as Suzuki or Sonogashira to introduce aryl or alkyne groups, enabling the creation of diverse compound libraries for drug discovery. Also utilized in research settings to develop fluorescent probes due to the quinoline core’s inherent photophysical properties.