Used primarily as a reactive intermediate in organic synthesis, this compound serves in the preparation of fluorinated analogs of biologically active molecules. Its structure allows for selective transformations in pharmaceutical research, particularly in developing fluorinated amino acid derivatives and enzyme inhibitors. The presence of both fluorine and ester functionalities enables enhanced metabolic stability and binding affinity in drug design. It is also employed in the synthesis of specialty heterocyclic compounds where fluorine substitution is critical for activity. Due to its high reactivity, it is handled under controlled conditions for use in research laboratories.