Diphenylamine is used as a pre- or postharvest scald inhibitor for apples applied as an indoor drench treatment. Its anti-scald activity is the result of its antioxidant properties, which protect the apple skin from the oxidation products of α-farnesene during storage.[11] Apple scald is physical injury that manifests in brown spots after fruit is removed from cold storage.
It is a weak base, with a Kb of 10−14. With strong acids, it forms salts. For example, treatment with sulfuric acid gives the bisulfate [(C6H5)2NH2]+[HSO4]− as a white or yellowish powder with m.p. 123-125 °C.
Organometallics are useful reagent, catalyst, and precursor materials with applications in thin film deposition, industrial chemistry, pharmaceuticals, LED manufacturing, and others.