Used as an intermediate in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals, particularly in the production of antidepressants and antipsychotic drugs. It serves as a building block for trifluoromethyl-containing compounds, which often exhibit enhanced metabolic stability and bioavailability. Also employed in the development of agrochemicals due to its ability to improve the lipophilicity and environmental persistence of active ingredients. Its chloro and trifluoromethyl groups make it valuable in medicinal chemistry for structure-activity relationship studies.