A chiral binapthol imminium salt precursor used in the catalytic asymmetric oxidation of sulfides to sulfoxides. Chiral lanthanide triflates formed from binaphthol serve as catalysts for asymmetric Diels-Alder reactions. Derivatives of binaphthol have recently been used in asymmetric Claisen rearrangements and asymmetric epoxidations. The lithium aluminum hydride derivative of these diols (BINAP-H) has been used extensively for the reduction of ketones.