Used primarily as a building block in organic synthesis, especially in the development of pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals. Its structure allows for selective functionalization, making it valuable in creating complex thiophene-based compounds. Commonly employed in cross-coupling reactions such as Suzuki or Stille couplings to construct biaryl systems in drug discovery. Also finds use in materials science, particularly in the synthesis of conjugated polymers for organic electronics due to the electron-rich nature of the thiophene ring. The tert-butyl group acts as a steric shield, influencing reactivity and stability in intermediate steps.