Widely used as a chiral N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) precursor in asymmetric catalysis. It plays a key role in enantioselective transformations, particularly in the synthesis of optically active pharmaceuticals and fine chemicals. The compound is effective in transition-metal catalyzed reactions such as asymmetric hydrogenation, C–C bond formation, and ring-closing metathesis, where it helps induce high enantiomeric excess. Its steric bulk and chiral environment make it suitable for controlling stereochemistry in complex organic syntheses. Commonly employed in research settings for developing chiral catalysts based on ruthenium, palladium, and gold.