DPEN exists as three stereoisomers: meso and two enantiomers S,S- and R,R-.

[2] DPEN can be obtained as both the chiral and meso diastereomers, depending on the relative stereochemistry of the two CHPhNH2 subunits.

N-tosylated derivative, TsDPEN, is a ligand precursor for catalysts for asymmetric transfer hydrogenation.

In this reaction, formate serves as the source of H2:[3][4] This transformation is an example of desymmetrization, the symmetric molecule benzil is converted to the dissymmetric product.

DPEN is a key ingredients of Ryōji Noyori's 2nd generation ruthenium-based chiral hydration catalyst, for which he earned the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2001.