An unprecedented photocatalytic system consisting of benzimidazolium aryloxide betaines (BI+-ArO-) and stoichiometric hydride reducing reagents was developed for carrying out desulfonylation reactions of N-sulfonyl-indoles, -amides, and -amines, and α-sulfonyl ketones. Measurements of absorption spectra and cyclic voltammograms as well as density functional theory (DFT) calculations were carried out