1-(4-Nitrophenyl)glycerol is primarily used as an intermediate in organic synthesis, serving as a key precursor in the production of pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, dyes, and pigments due to its reactive nitro group. It is widely employed in biochemical research as a chromogenic substrate to assay enzyme activity, particularly for hydrolases such as lipases and esterases, which cleave the compound to release detectable p-nitrophenol. Its structure also enables modifications for developing compounds with potential therapeutic applications.