Building block for synthesis. Has been used for nucleophilic difluoro(phenylsulfonyl)methylation of carbonyls, reductive silylation and the preparation of trifluoro- and difluoromethylsilanes, fluoroalkylation/chloroalkylation of alpha,beta-enones, arynes, acetylenic ketones and other Michael acceptors and difluoromethylation of primary alkyl halides . It is also used in preparation of alpha-difluoromethyl amines, anti-difluoropropanediols, beta-difluoromethylated and beta-difluoromethylenated alcohols and amines, difluoroalkenes, difluoromethyl alcohol derivatives and fluoromethylated vicinal ethylenediamines.