Used as an intermediate in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals, particularly in the development of fluorinated drug candidates where the difluoromethylene group enhances metabolic stability and bioavailability. Its structure allows for improved lipophilicity and membrane permeability, making it valuable in medicinal chemistry. Also employed in the preparation of agrochemicals and functional materials requiring specific polarity and reactivity. The presence of fluorine atoms can influence the pKa of adjacent functional groups, enabling fine-tuning of molecular properties in design of active compounds.