Used as a silylating agent in the synthesis of fluorinated pyrimidine derivatives, particularly in nucleoside chemistry. Enhances lipophilicity of fluorouracil, improving membrane permeability in prodrug strategies for anticancer agents. Commonly employed in the preparation of intermediates for antiviral and antitumor drugs, especially in solid-phase oligonucleotide synthesis where protection of polar functional groups is required. Also utilized in analytical chemistry to derivatize fluorouracil for improved detection in gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) due to increased volatility and thermal stability.