Used as an intermediate in the synthesis of agrochemicals and pharmaceuticals, particularly in the development of herbicides and plant growth regulators. Its nitro and nitrile functional groups allow for further chemical transformations, such as reduction of the nitro group to an amine or hydrolysis of the nitrile to a carboxylic acid, making it valuable in constructing complex heterocyclic systems. It is also employed in research for designing new bioactive molecules due to its pyridine backbone, which is common in compounds with biological activity.