2-Amino-5-cyanobenzoic acid is an organic compound featuring both an amino group and a carboxylic acid group on a benzene ring substituted with a cyano group at the 5-position. This structure makes it a versatile bifunctional building block, particularly valuable in heterocyclic chemistry. Its primary and well-documented application is as a key intermediate in the synthesis of various pharmaceutical compounds. It serves as a crucial precursor for the preparation of substituted quinazolinones and other nitrogen-containing heterocycles. These heterocyclic scaffolds are core structures in numerous biologically active molecules, including kinase inhibitors and other therapeutic agents targeting specific diseases. Due to the presence of reactive amino and carboxylic acid functional groups, this compound is also employed in broader organic synthesis for constructing more complex molecular architectures. It is commercially available for research and development purposes in medicinal chemistry and pharmaceutical manufacturing.