Pyridine is used as a polar, basic, low-reactive solvent, for example in Knoevenagel condensations. It is especially suitable for the dehalogenation, where it acts as the base of the elimination reaction and bonds the resulting hydrogen halide to form a pyridinium salt.

Pyridine is used as a solvent and to make many different products such as medicines, vitamins, food flavorings, pesticides, paints, dyes, rubber products, adhesives, and waterproofing for fabrics. Pyridine can also be formed from the breakdown of many natural materials in the environment.

Pyridine is a reasonable nucleophile for carbonyl groups and is often used as a catalyst in acylation reactions. The nitrogen atom in pyridine is nucleophilic because the lone pair of electrons on nitrogen cannot be delocalised around the ring.

PYRIDINE LR