S-Benzyl 2-aminoethanethioate is primarily utilized in organic synthesis as a versatile building block for the preparation of more complex molecules. It is often employed in the development of pharmaceutical compounds, particularly in the synthesis of cysteine derivatives and peptide analogs. The compound's thioester and amine functional groups make it valuable for creating sulfur-containing structures, which are crucial in many biologically active molecules. Additionally, it serves as a precursor in the production of ligands for metal coordination chemistry, aiding in the creation of catalysts or materials with specific properties. Its application extends to research in biochemistry, where it is used to study enzyme mechanisms or protein modifications involving thiol groups.