4-Pyridinecarboxaldehyde is an heterocyclic building block used for the synthesis of various pharmaceutical compounds, such as new 1,4-dihydropyridin-4-yl-phenoxyacetohydrazones, having anticonvulsant and anti-inflammatory properties.4-Pyridinecarboxaldehyde and some of its derivatives have also been reported as useful transamination reagents to introduce ketone or aldehyde groups onto the N-termini of antibodies for subsequent site-specifically conjugate aminooxy-functionalized molecules (including fluorescent dyes, polyethylene glycol, or porphyrins) to these entities.
4-Pyridinecarboxaldehyde can be used for the synthesis of: β-Unsaturated amides by coupling with N,N-disubstituted formamides; meso-Substituted A3-corroles; N-(4-pyridylmethyl)-L-valine as a ligand to construct zinc metal–organic frameworks (Zn-MOFs); 4′-Pyridyl terpyridines, with potential application as anticancer and antimicrobial agents; 4-pyridinecarboxaldehyde thiosemicarbazone, as a corrosion inhibitor for mild steel.