[3] It is mainly used to manufacture toluene diisocyanate, which is a key raw material in polyurethane chemistry.

[4] It is still the starting material used when non-phosgene methods of production of toluene diisocyanate are used.

[5][6] It is also a degradation product of polyurethane materials produced using toluene diisocyanate.

Its reaction with benzenediazonium chloride gives the cationic azo dye Basic Orange 1.

Condensation of 2,4-diaminotoluene with acetaldehyde gives the acridine dye called Basic Yellow 9.