Used as a chiral N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) precursor in asymmetric catalysis. Its main application lies in enantioselective organic transformations, where it serves as a ligand for transition metals such as palladium, ruthenium, and iridium. This enables highly stereoselective reactions including hydrogenation, allylic alkylation, and C–H activation, which are critical in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals and fine chemicals. The bulky naphthyl groups enhance stereocontrol, making it effective in inducing high enantiomeric excess in the products. It is particularly valued in academic and industrial research for developing new catalytic methods in asymmetric synthesis.