Phenyl benzoate is a phenyl ester of benzoic acid. Crystal structure of phenyl benzoate has been determined from 844 microdensitometer-measured intensities. All bond lengths and angles were reported to be normal. Phenyl benzoate undergoes Fries rearrangement catalyzed by heteropoly acids to yield the acylated phenols and esters.

Phenyl benzoate serves as a precursor that undergoes the intramolecular biaryl coupling reaction to produce the intermediate for the synthesis of (−)-steganone.

Phenyl benzoate was used in the synthesis of soluble polyimides using dianhydride/diamine derivatives.