It is a common reagent for organic synthesis used, for example, as a precursor for barbituric acid.

[2] Dimethyl malonate is used extensively in the fragrance industry as a raw material in the synthesis of jasmonates.

For example, methyl dihydrojasmonate is synthesized from cyclopentanone, pentanal and dimethyl malonate.

[3] Hedione is used in almost all fine fragrances and is found in Christian Dior's Eau Sauvage and "Diorella", Hermes' "Voyage d'Hermes Parfum", Calvin Klein's "CKOne", Chanel's "Chanel No.

[4] Hebei Chengxin is the world's largest producer of dimethyl malonate by volume and uses a chloroacetic acid/sodium cyanide process developed in the 1940s.