4,4,4-Trifluoro-3-oxobutanenitrile (cas# 110234-68-9) is used as a reagent in the preparation of ((dimethoxyquinazolinyloxy)phenyl)urea derivatives as orally efficacious inhibitors of V-RAF murine sarcoma viral oncogene. Additionally, it is used as a reagent in preparation of orally active inhibitors of Brahma homolog (BRM)/SMARCA2 ATPase activity for treatment of Brahma related gene 1 (BRG1)/SMARCA4-mutant cancers. It is also used as a reagent in the synthesis of 2-(trifluoromethyl)nicotinic acid derivatives from fluorinated precursors.