Methyl 2-methyl-3-nitrobenzoate may be used in the synthesis of methyl indole-4-carboxylate, 5-aminoisoquinolin-1(2H)-one, 5-nitroisocoumarin and [2-(4-fluorophenyl)-1H-indol-4-yl]-1-pyrrolidinylmethanone. It may also be used in the preparation of substituted nitrostyrene benzoic acids, via reaction with aromatic aldehydes in the presence of DBU in DMSO; and 4-(hydroxymethyl)-1-tosylindole, via Batcho-Leimgruber modification of the Reissert indole synthesis.