Mainly used as black and white developer of photographic film. It is also used as raw material for the production of anthraquinone dyes and azo dyes. It can also be used as stabilizer and antioxidant for paint and varnish, as well as polymerization inhibitor, rubber antioxidant, auxiliary solvent for ammonia desulfurization process, etc. As a chemical reagent, it is mainly used for colorimetric determination of phosphorus, magnesium, silicon and arsenic, and as a reducing agent to test phosphate, tungstate, nitrate, nitrite, selenium, etc. Hydroquinone can volatilize with steam. It is a strong reducing agent. It can burn in case of open fire. It emits toxic and corrosive odor when exposed to high heat. It can cause poisoning through the skin, sublimate and be toxic. It can stimulate the central nervous system and respiratory system. The oral LD50 of rats is 3890mg/kg.
M-phenylenediamine is prepared by hydrogenation of m-dinitrobenzene and hydrolysis of m-phenylenediamine. M-aminophenol is prepared by hydrolysis. Resorcinol can also be produced from benzene and propylene by diisopropylbenzene peroxide method, which is similar to phenol produced by cumene method.