Used primarily as an intermediate in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals. Its structure allows for selective functionalization in organic reactions, making it valuable in the development of active ingredients in crop protection agents. It is also employed in the preparation of fluorinated analogs in medicinal chemistry, where the fluorine and chlorine substituents can influence metabolic stability and binding affinity. Due to the thiol group, it participates in conjugation reactions and can act as a building block for sulfide or disulfide linkages in complex molecules. Handling requires caution due to the potential for strong odors and reactivity associated with free thiols.