2-Amino-3,5-dibromobenzaldehyde has been identified as one of the oxidation product of bromhexine by controlled potential electrolysis followed by HPLC-UV and GC-MS. It participates in the Friedländer condensation of C-β−glycosylic ketones to form 2-substituted quinoline derivatives.

2-Amino-3,5-dibromobenzaldehyde may be employed in the preparation of tetradentate Schiff base ligands, via condensation with aliphatic diamines. These ligands forms nickel (II) and oxovanadium(IV) complexes.