When used in the manufacture of polyesters, it enhances the stability of the product towards heat, light, and water.

Neopentyl glycol is synthesized industrially by the aldol reaction of formaldehyde and isobutyraldehyde.

This creates the intermediate hydroxypivaldehyde, which can be converted to neopentyl glycol by either a Cannizzaro reaction with excess formaldehyde, or by hydrogenation using palladium on carbon.

[2] Owing to its tendency to form cyclic derivatives (see Thorpe-Ingold Effect), it is used as a protecting group for ketones, for example in gestodene synthesis.

Dehydrochlorination of the resulting halohydrin with sodium hydroxide affords the desired ether.