Periodic acid is widely used in organic chemistry for the oxidative cleavage of vicinal diols, which allows the conversion of 1,2-diols into aldehydes or ketones. This reaction is particularly valuable in carbohydrate chemistry for determining the structure of sugars. It is also employed in histology as a staining agent to visualize polysaccharides like glycogen in tissue samples. Additionally, periodic acid is utilized in the synthesis of certain pharmaceuticals and in the preparation of specialized materials where selective oxidation is required. Its strong oxidizing properties make it useful in analytical chemistry for the determination of various organic compounds.