Used as a protected form of hydroxymethyl pyridine in organic synthesis, particularly in pharmaceutical and agrochemical manufacturing. The tert-butyldimethylsiloxy (TBS) group acts as a protecting group for the alcohol functionality, allowing selective reactions at other sites in the molecule. It is commonly employed in multi-step syntheses where stability under basic or mildly acidic conditions is required. The silyl ether can be removed selectively using fluoride reagents, enabling controlled deprotection and further functionalization. Its pyridine ring also makes it useful as a building block in nitrogen-containing heterocyclic compounds.