Dodecyl methanesulfonate is a specialty chemical intermediate primarily used in organic synthesis. It acts as an alkylating agent due to the excellent leaving group properties of the mesylate group, facilitating nucleophilic substitution reactions (SN2) to form carbon-oxygen, carbon-nitrogen, and carbon-sulfur bonds. This compound is employed in the production of pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, surfactants, and other fine chemicals. It is not typically used directly as a surfactant but rather as a precursor in their synthesis.