NTDA is most commonly used as a precursor to naphthalenediimides (NDIs) (such as napthalenetetracarboxylic diimide), a family of compounds with many uses.

The unsaturated tetrachloride hydrolyzes to enols that tautomerize to the bis-dione, which in turn can be oxidized to the tetracarboxylic acid.

[2] Symmetrical naphthalene diimides are synthesized by the condensation reaction of primary amines and the dianhydride.

These diimides are members of a broader class of compounds called rylenes, oligomers of naphthalene with bonds between the 1 and 1' and 8 and 8' positions.

NDIs are used in supramolecular chemistry due to their tendency to form charge-transfer complexes with crown ethers, e.g. to give rotaxanes and catenanes.