[1] It is a yellow crystalline solid that is important as a precursor to other compounds due to its two functional groups.

Nitrochlorobenzene is typically synthesized by nitration of chlorobenzene in the presence of sulfuric acid: This reaction affords a mixture of isomers.

[1] 2-Nitrochlorobenzene, like its isomers, is reactive toward nucleophiles, resulting in chloride substitution.

Substitution of chloride by fluoride is also practiced commercially to convert 2-nitrochlorobenzene to 2-fluoronitrobenzene.

The Halex process uses potassium fluoride in polar solvents like sulfolane : 2-Nitrochlorobenzene is useful because both of its reactive sites can be utilized to create further compounds that are mutually ortho.