3-Chloro-3-methylpentane(3C3MP) has structure similar to tertiary chloride groups which are formed as structural defects during the radical polymerization of vinyl chloride (VC). Therefore, 3C3MP is an ideal model compound to study if tertiary chloride defect present in commercial PVC can be active initiating species for metal-catalyzed living radical graft copolymerization.
3C3MP can also be used as a reactant to prepare chloro(1-ethyl-1-methylpropyl)magnesium (Grignard reagent), which is used in the Kumada–Tamao–Corriu coupling reaction.