Used as a key intermediate in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals, particularly in the development of kinase inhibitors and antiviral agents. Its structure enables selective functionalization, making it valuable in constructing biologically active molecules. Commonly employed in medicinal chemistry for drug discovery programs targeting oncology and infectious diseases. The chloromethyl group allows for easy coupling with other molecular fragments, facilitating the creation of diverse compound libraries for screening. Also utilized in the preparation of fluorescent probes and labeled compounds for biochemical assays.