Used as an intermediate in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals, particularly in the development of nicotinic receptor ligands and other biologically active compounds. Its reactive bromomethyl group allows for easy alkylation or coupling reactions, while the carbonitrile group can be hydrolyzed to a carboxylic acid or reduced to an amine, enhancing its versatility in synthetic transformations. This makes it valuable in medicinal chemistry for building complex heterocyclic systems. Also employed in the preparation of agrochemicals and functionalized pyridine derivatives used in materials science.