Dinitroanilines are intermediates in the preparation of various industrially important chemicals including dyes and pesticides.
Dinitroaniline herbicides include benfluralin, butralin, chlornidine, dinitramine, dipropalin, ethalfluralin, fluchloralin, isopropalin, methalpropalin, nitralin, nitrofor, oryzalin, pendimethalin, prodiamine, profluralin, and trifluralin.
[1] Dinitroanilines are explosive and flammable with heat or friction.
Since they are made from readily obtainable raw materials, during World War I Germany used them as Ersatz high explosives.
[2] Dinitroanalines may have medically useful anti-microbial properties, some research has been done on trifluralin and derivatives.