Phosphine Oxidation with Water and Ferrocenium(III) Cation Induced by Visible-Light Irradiation

Stoichiometric oxidation of phosphines with water and ferrocenium(III) cation as the oxygen atom source and the oxidizing reagent, respectively, was achieved in acetonitrile under visible-light irradiation by using 2,6-lutidine as the proton acceptor. The reaction required light irradiation, under which fluorescence was observed for the acetonitrile solution of the ferrocenium(III) cation.