Used as a key intermediate in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals, particularly in the production of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) analogs and other biologically active compounds. Its sulfonic acid group enhances water solubility, making it valuable in formulations requiring high solubility in aqueous systems. Also employed in the development of catalysts and ligands for metal-catalyzed reactions due to its nitrogen-containing heterocyclic structure. Additionally, it finds use in research settings for modifying pyridine-based molecules to study structure-activity relationships in drug design.