Heptafluorobutyric acid is widely used in analytical chemistry as an ion-pairing agent in liquid chromatography, particularly for the separation and analysis of peptides, proteins, and other biomolecules. Its strong ion-pairing properties enhance the retention and resolution of polar compounds on reversed-phase columns. In proteomics, it is often employed to improve the detection and quantification of low-abundance peptides during mass spectrometry. Additionally, it serves as a derivatization reagent in gas chromatography to enhance the volatility and detectability of certain analytes. Its applications also extend to organic synthesis, where it is used as a catalyst or reagent in various fluorination and esterification reactions.