N-substituted pyridiniophosphine of the general formula: wherein R 1, R 2, R 3 and R 4 are identical or different and each represent hydrogen, halogen, a linear, cyclic or branched C 1 -C 20 -alkyl, -alkenyl group or -alkynyl group or C 5 -C 14 -aryl or -heteroaryl group, which can have suitable substituents selected from halogen, =O, -OH, -OR, -NH 2, -NHR, -NR 2, aryl or heteroaryl, or at least one of R 1, R 2, R 3 and R 4 is bound to the pyridinio ring via -O- or -NR-, or at least two of R 1, R 2, R 3 and R 4 can form a linear or branched C 4 to C 12 alkyl ring, which can comprise at least one unsaturated bond and which can have suitable substituents selected from halogen, =O, -OH, -OR, -NH 2, -NHR, -NR 2, aryl or heteroaryl,.or at least two of R 1, R 2, R 3 and R 4 can form a C 5 to C 14 -aromatic or -heteroaromatic ring which can have suitable substituents selected from halogen, -OH, -OR, -NH 2, -NHR, -NR 2, aryl or heteroaryl; R 5 represents a linear, cyclic or branched C 1 -C 20 -alkyl group or C 5 -C 14 -aryl or -heteroaryl group, which can have suitable substituents selected from halogen, =O, -OH, -OR, -NH 2, -NHR, -NR 2, aryl or heteroaryl; R 6 and R 7 each represent a saturated or unsaturated, linear, branched or cyclic C 1 to C 20 - alkyl group or or C 5 -C 14 -aryl or -heteroaryl group, which can have suitable substituents selected from halogen, -OH, -OR, -NH 2, -NHR, -NR 2, aryl or heteroaryl;, or R 6 and R 7 can form a C 4 to C 20 ring which can comprise at least one unsaturated bond or an aromatic or heteroaromatic ring which can have suitable substituents selected from halogen, -OH, -OR, -NH 2, -NHR, -NR 2, aryl or heteroaryl;, R represents a C 1 -C 20 -alkyl group or C 5 -C 14 -aryl or -heteroaryl group which can have suitable substituents selected from halogen, =O, -OH, -OR, -NH 2, -NHR, -NR 2, aryl or heteroaryl, and X - is an anion. R 1, R 2, R 3 and R 4 are identical or different and each represent hydrogen, halogen, a linear, cyclic or branched C 1 -C 20 -alkyl, -alkenyl group or -alkynyl group or C 5 -C 14 -aryl or -heteroaryl group, which can have suitable substituents selected from halogen, =O, -OH, -OR, -NH 2, -NHR, -NR 2, aryl or heteroaryl, or at least one of R 1, R 2, R 3 and R 4 is bound to the pyridinio ring via -O- or -NR-, or at least two of R 1, R 2, R 3 and R 4 can form a linear or branched C 4 to C 12 alkyl ring, which can comprise at least one unsaturated bond and which can have suitable substituents selected from halogen, =O, -OH, -OR, -NH 2, -NHR, -NR 2, aryl or heteroaryl,.or at least two of R 1, R 2, R 3 and R 4 can form a C 5 to C 14 -aromatic or -heteroaromatic ring which can have suitable substituents selected from halogen, -OH, -OR, -NH 2, -NHR, -NR 2, aryl or heteroaryl; R 5 represents a linear, cyclic or branched C 1 -C 20 -alkyl group or C 5 -C 14 -aryl or -heteroaryl group, which can have suitable substituents selected from halogen, =O, -OH, -OR, -NH 2, -NHR, -NR 2, aryl or heteroaryl; R 6 and R 7 each represent a saturated or unsaturated, linear, branched or cyclic C 1 to C 20 - alkyl group or or C 5 -C 14 -aryl or -heteroaryl group, which can have suitable substituents selected from halogen, -OH, -OR, -NH 2, -NHR, -NR 2, aryl or heteroaryl;, or R 6 and R 7 can form a C 4 to C 20 ring which can comprise at least one unsaturated bond or an aromatic or heteroaromatic ring which can have suitable substituents selected from halogen, -OH, -OR, -NH 2, -NHR, -NR 2, aryl or heteroaryl;, R represents a C 1 -C 20 -alkyl group or C 5 -C 14 -aryl or -heteroaryl group which can have suitable substituents selected from halogen, =O, -OH, -OR, -NH 2, -NHR, -NR 2, aryl or heteroaryl, and X - is an anion.