Widely used as a precursor to N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligands in organometallic catalysis. It plays a key role in the synthesis of stable carbenes that serve as ligands in transition metal catalysts, particularly in olefin metathesis, cross-coupling reactions, and hydrogenation processes. The bulky 2,6-diisopropylphenyl groups enhance steric protection, improving catalyst stability and selectivity. Commonly employed in the preparation of ruthenium-based Grubbs-type catalysts for ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) and other advanced synthetic transformations in pharmaceutical and polymer chemistry.