Used as a derivatizing agent in organic synthesis, particularly in the preparation of steroidal carbonates and in modifying hydroxyl groups in complex molecules via carbonate formation. It is also employed in the synthesis of liquid crystals and cholesterol-based compounds for research in membrane biology. Its reactivity with alcohols and phenols makes it useful for protecting group strategies, structural analysis in steroid chemistry, and sample preparation for spectroscopic techniques such as NMR or MS to enhance detection sensitivity.