Applications
Vanillin is a flavoring agent used in sweet foods, ice cream and chocolate. It is used in perfumes as well as to control the unpleasant odors in medicines. It acts as a chemical intermediate in the preparation of pharmaceuticals. In thin layer chromatography, it is used as a general-purpose stain for developing TLC plates to enable in visualizing components of a reaction mixture. Similarly, vanillin hydro chloride staining can be used to visualize the localization of tannins in cells.

Solubility
Soluble in water, diethyl ether, acetone, methanol, benzene, petroleum ether, chloroform, carbon disulfide, glacial acetic acid, pyridine and in aqueous solutions of alkali hydroxides.

Notes
Moisture and light sensitive. Incompatible with oxidizing agents, alkalis and reducing agents.