Used as an intermediate in organic synthesis, particularly in the preparation of pharmaceuticals and fine chemicals. Its cyano and hydroxyl functional groups allow for diverse chemical transformations, making it valuable in constructing complex molecules. It is also employed in the development of specialty polymers and as a reagent in condensation reactions. Due to its ability to participate in nucleophilic additions and cyclization processes, it finds use in the synthesis of heterocyclic compounds, which are common scaffolds in bioactive molecules.