Tropolone is primarily used as a chelating agent due to its ability to form stable complexes with metal ions. This property makes it valuable in analytical chemistry for the extraction and separation of metals such as copper, iron, and aluminum. It is also employed in the synthesis of catalysts and metal-based materials where controlled metal coordination is required. In biological research, tropolone serves as an inhibitor of certain metalloenzymes, including histone deacetylases (HDACs), making it a useful tool for studying gene expression and cellular processes. Its antimicrobial and antifungal activities have led to exploration in pharmaceutical development, particularly in designing agents that target metal-dependent pathogens. Additionally, tropolone derivatives are investigated for their potential in materials science, especially in the development of organic semiconductors and photoactive compounds, owing to their aromatic character and electron-delocalization properties.