Sunlight-induced efficient and selective photocatalytic benzene oxidation on TiO2-supported gold nanoparticles under CO2 atmosphere.

The sunlight-induced photocatalytic oxidation of aqueous benzene on TiO2-supported gold nanoparticles was considerably improved when the reaction was conducted under a CO2 atmosphere. 13% yield and 89% selectivity of phenol was obtained on P25-supported gold nanoparticles under 230 kPa of CO2.