Used as an intermediate in the synthesis of pharmaceutical compounds, particularly in the development of central nervous system agents and anticonvulsant drugs. It serves as a building block in medicinal chemistry for constructing pyrimidine-based heterocycles, which are common scaffolds in bioactive molecules. Also investigated for potential use in the preparation of kinase inhibitors and other enzyme modulators due to its structural similarity to nucleotide bases. Its derivatives show activity in neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory applications.