Binaphthol, 2,2'-dihydroxy-1,l'-dinaphthalene as its scientific name,
has a melting point of 2l7.5 to 2l9 degrees. Its molecular formula is
C20H14O2.

Binaphthol is a typical chiral compound with strong dissymmetry and can
be resolved easily into antipodes in high purity. Binaphthol also has
important applications in many businesses such as organic syntheses, dyes,
agriculture chemicals, etc., especially in special medicines. As a
resolving reagent, the two hydroxyls of binaphthol can combine with some
compounds by means of hydrogen bonds to form molecular complexes. As an
unsymmetrical inducing reagent, binaphthol takes part in unsymmetrical
synthetics of some compounds such as biaromatics, unsaturated aldehydes etc.,
which provides a new valuable route for researches of unsymmetrical
synthetic chemistry and natural substances synthetics.