Oxidation of SO2 into SO3 was found effectively catalyzed by photosensitized ytterbium diphthalocyanine, YbPc2 (Pc = phthalocyanine ligand, C32H16N8) when performed in air-saturated dimethylformamide (DMF) solution at 20 C. The process follows according to a multi-step complex mechanism involving chemical induction as its driving force. Excitation energy of the sandwich molecular system in YbPc2 is used to promote the reaction by creating a reactive intermediate form of the ytterbium complex hosting up to eight SO2 molecules. The conversion of SO2 proved complete.