The title trifluoroacetylaminophthalimide derivative produced a violet fluorescence (lambda(FL)(max) 392 nm) in MeCN, and it displayed a green emission (lambda(FL)(max) 506 nm) after irradiation at 254 nm in the presence of iodide ions. The corresponding amidate ion of the trifluoroacetamide was identified as the green fluorescence emitter. The deprotonation reaction may be caused by proton-abstracting solvated electrons generated by a photochemical charge-transfer-to-solvent process from I(-) to MeCN.