Pentafluoropropionic acid anhydride is widely used as a derivatizing agent in analytical chemistry, particularly in gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. It reacts with various compounds, such as alcohols, amines, and phenols, to form volatile derivatives that enhance detection sensitivity and separation efficiency. This makes it valuable for analyzing trace amounts of substances in environmental, pharmaceutical, and biological samples. Additionally, it is employed in the synthesis of specialty chemicals and fluorinated compounds, where its reactivity and fluorinated structure contribute to unique properties in the final products. Its use in proteomics and metabolomics studies also aids in the identification and quantification of biomolecules.