Efficient photocatalytic oxygenation of aromatic alkene to 1,2-dioxetane with oxygen via electron transfer.

[reaction: see text] Photocatalytic oxygenation of tetraphenylethylene (TPE) with oxygen occurs efficiently via electron-transfer reactions of TPE and oxygen with a photogenerated electron transfer state of 9-mesityl-10-methylacridniium ion, followed by the radical-coupling reaction between TPE radical cation and O2*- to produce 1,2-dioxetane selectively. The further photocatalytic cleavage of the O-O bond of dioxetane affords benzophenone as the final oxygenated product.