Efficient photocatalytic conversion of benzene to phenol on stabilized subnanometer WO3 quantum dots

Band engineering with a quantum size effect is proposed to be utilized to design photocatalytic activity for the conversion of organic compounds. Subnanometer WO3 quantum dots (QDs) are spontaneously produced with the enhancement of the photocatalytic activity in a mesoporous silica matrix by preliminary photochemical dissolution. An appropriate upshift of the conduction band of subnanometer WO3 QDs stabilized by the coverage with the surface W=O bonds promotes the efficient conversion of benzene to phenol without decomposition of the product into CO2 under ultraviolet illumination.