Oxophilic reagents are often used to extract or exchange oxygen centers in organic substrates, especially carbonyls (esters, ketones, amides) and epoxides. The highly oxophilic reagent generated from tungsten hexachloride and butyl lithium is useful for the deoxygenation of epoxides. Such conversions are sometimes valuable in organic synthesis. In the McMurry reaction, ketones are converted into alkenes using oxophilic reagents:
:2 RCO + Ti → RC=CR + TiO
Similarly, Tebbe's reagent is used in olefination reactions:
: CpTiCHAlCl(CH) + RC=O → CpTiO + 0.5 (AlCl(CH)) + RC=CH
Oxophilic main group compounds are also well known and useful. The highly oxophilic reagent SiCl stereospecifically deoxygenates phosphine oxides. Phosphorus pentasulfide and the related Lawesson's reagent convert certain organic carbonyls to the corresponding sulfur derivatives:
:PS + n RC=O → PSO + n RC=S
Owing to the high stability of carbon dioxide, many carbon compounds such as phosgene are oxophilic.  This reactivity is used for recycling of triphenylphosphine oxide:
:OPPh + COCl → ClPPh + CO