Tantalum(V) chloride is used primarily in the semiconductor industry as a precursor for chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of tantalum-containing films, especially tantalum nitride and tantalum carbide, which serve as diffusion barriers and conductive layers in integrated circuits. It is also widely employed as a Lewis acid catalyst in organic synthesis, including Friedel-Crafts acylations, alkylations, and polymerization reactions. Additionally, it is used in research for synthesizing other tantalum-based compounds and in producing high-purity, high-performance coatings for microelectronics, hard coatings, and corrosion- and high-temperature-resistant layers in aerospace applications. Its high reactivity with moisture limits handling but makes it effective in vapor-phase reactions.