Ethyl 2-amino-5-nitrobenzoate is primarily used as an intermediate in organic synthesis, particularly in the production of azo dyes and pigments. The presence of both amino and nitro groups (para to each other) makes it suitable as a building block for diazotization and coupling reactions. It is also employed in the pharmaceutical industry as a versatile intermediate for synthesizing various active pharmaceutical ingredients and complex aromatic compounds, with the ester functionality enabling straightforward modifications in multi-step syntheses.