A new binary metal hydrate photocatalyst CdSnO3 center dot 3H(2)O was synthesized from Cd(CH3COO)(2) and SnCl4 center dot 5H(2)O via a facile homogenous precipitation method. The photocatalytic activities of samples were evaluated by the photocatalytic degradation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in O-2 gas stream under ultraviolet light irradiation. The results demonstrated that the typical CdSnO3 center dot 3H(2)O sample had an average particle size of about 16 nm, a band gap of 4.4 eV, and a specific surface area of 91.8 m(2) g(-1). The comparison of CdSnO3.3H(2)O synthesized at different pH values showed that the photocatalytic activities of CdSnO3.3H(2)O synthesized at pH 7 and 8 were higher than that of the samples synthesized at pH 6 and 9. Contrast to commercial P25-TiO2, the activity of this new photocatalyst was better. The conversion ratio of benzene was about 45% and 5%, corresponding to the mineralization ratio was about 60% and 25%, respectively. CdSnO3.3H(2)O also exhibited high photocatalytic activities towards cyclohexane and acetone. Then, the mechanism of the reaction on the new photocatalyst was discussed. Hence, the facile synthesis of this photocatalyst and its outstanding photocatalytic performance for VOCs are favorable to its potential application in the environmental remedy field. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.