In organometallic chemistry it is commonly used for the synthesis of Vaska's complex and related compounds such as carbonylchlorohydridotris(triphenylphosphine)ruthenium (II).

Workers exposed to high levels are at risk for granulocytopenia, macrocytic anemia, oligospermia, and azoospermia.

[3] The methoxyethanol is converted by alcohol dehydrogenase into methoxyacetic acid which is the substance which causes the harmful effects.

[4] In 2024, a group led by researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology reported the discovery of 2-methoxyethanol in a star-forming region within the nebula NGC 6334.

This signature was then sought in observational data for the region collected by the Atacama Large Millimeter Array, and 25 of its spectral lines were detected, constituting a secure identification of the molecule in the astronomical data.