Used primarily in organic semiconductor research, 1,8-Dichloroanthracene serves as a building block for synthesizing functional organic materials. Its rigid anthracene core and reactive chlorine sites allow for selective coupling reactions, making it valuable in creating conjugated molecules for optoelectronic devices. It is employed in the development of organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) and field-effect transistors (OFETs) due to its ability to facilitate charge transport when incorporated into larger π-conjugated systems. Additionally, it acts as an intermediate in the preparation of dyes and fluorescent probes, where its photophysical properties can be tuned through chemical modification.