The bromine atom on this thiol can be used as a unique marker for surface analysis studies using TOF-SIMS or ESCA. Bromine has a very distinct isotopic pattern in a TOF-SIMS spectrum that simplifies identification of bromine containing compounds. Bromine can be used as a unique signal in ESCA analysis, but care must be taken to minimize x-ray exposure because under even moderate x-ray exposure bromine can be cleaved from the surface.

The bromine end group can be further derivatized with various nucleophiles.