Chromium-catalyzed production of alcohols from hydrocarbons

A process for converting a hydrocarbon reactant into an alcohol compound and/or a carbonyl compound, the process comprising:

• (i) contacting a solid support with an inorganic chromate compound to form a supported chromium precursor, the inorganic chromate compound comprising potassium chromate, sodium chromate, potassium dichromate, sodium dichromate, or any combination thereof;
• (ii) heat treating the supported chromium precursor at a peak temperature from about 50° C. to about 1000° C. to form a supported chromium catalyst comprising chromium in a hexavalent oxidation state;
• (iii) irradiating the hydrocarbon reactant and the supported chromium catalyst with a light beam at a wavelength in the UV-visible spectrum to reduce at least a portion of the supported chromium catalyst to form a reduced chromium catalyst;
• and
• (iv) hydrolyzing the reduced chromium catalyst to form a reaction product comprising the alcohol compound and/or the carbonyl compound.