Used as a key intermediate in the synthesis of pharmaceutical compounds, particularly in antiviral and anticancer agents. Its primary role is in the protection of imidazole nitrogen during multi-step organic syntheses, allowing selective reactions at other molecular sites. The trityl group provides steric bulk and stability, while the iodo functionality enables further coupling reactions, such as palladium-catalyzed cross-couplings, to introduce aromatic or heteroaromatic moieties. Commonly applied in the development of nucleoside analogs and kinase inhibitors.