Used as an intermediate in the synthesis of pharmaceutical compounds, particularly in the development of kinase inhibitors and other biologically active molecules. Its structure, featuring a pyridine ring protected with a tert-butoxycarbonyl (Boc) group and a hydroxymethyl substituent, allows for selective modification in drug design, making it valuable in medicinal chemistry for creating analogs with improved metabolic stability and binding affinity. Commonly employed in research settings for constructing nitrogen-containing heterocyclic systems relevant to therapeutic agents.