Used as an intermediate in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals, particularly in the development of active ingredients in antiviral and anticancer agents. Its functional groups enable selective modifications in multi-step organic reactions. Commonly employed in the preparation of fluorinated aromatic compounds where the chloromethyl group acts as a reactive site for nucleophilic substitution, allowing attachment to other molecular frameworks. Also utilized in agrochemical synthesis for creating herbicides and plant growth regulators due to its stability and reactivity profile. Preferred in research settings for labeling and derivatization processes involving fluorinated building blocks.