p-Methyl-cinnamoyl azide is a specialty chemical intermediate primarily used in organic synthesis. As an acyl azide, it undergoes the Curtius rearrangement to generate the corresponding isocyanate, which serves as a key building block for synthesizing primary amines, ureas, and other nitrogenous heterocycles relevant to medicinal chemistry. Its photochemical decomposition to a reactive nitrene makes it valuable for developing photoaffinity labeling agents to investigate biomolecular interactions. The extended conjugation in the cinnamoyl moiety enhances its utility in specialized reactions, such as certain cycloadditions, distinguishing it from commodity chemicals.