Used as a key intermediate in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals, particularly in the production of nicotinic receptor modulators and anti-inflammatory agents. It serves in agrochemical formulations for developing herbicides and plant growth regulators due to its reactive nitrile and hydroxyl groups. The compound is also employed in research for heterocyclic compound development, enabling the construction of complex nitrogen-containing rings found in bioactive molecules. Its chloro functionality allows for selective substitutions, making it valuable in medicinal chemistry for structure-activity relationship studies.