| abstract |
Processes for converting hydrocarbon reactants to alcohol compounds and/or carbonyl compounds are disclosed, the processes comprising the steps of irradiating the hydrocarbon reactant and a load comprising chromium in a hexavalent oxidation state with a beam of light at a wavelength in the UV-visible spectrum reducing at least a portion of the supported chromium catalyst to form a reduced chromium catalyst, and hydrolyzing the reduced chromium catalyst to form a reaction product comprising the alcohol compound and/or the carbonyl compound. Additionally, these processes may further include the step of calcining all or a portion of the reduced chromium catalyst to regenerate the supported chromium catalyst. |