In organic chemistry,  HPO can be used for the reduction of arenediazonium salts, converting  to Ar–H.  When diazotized in a concentrated solution of hypophosphorous acid, an amine substituent can be removed from arenes.
Owing to its ability to function as a mild reducing agent and oxygen scavenger it is sometimes used as an additive in Fischer esterification reactions, where it prevents the formation of colored impurities.
It is used to prepare phosphinic acid derivatives.