A metal oxide supported palladium catalyst comprised of a β-Bi2O3/Bi2Sn2O7 hetero-junction catalyst support and palladium was developed. The catalyst was synthesized using a sol-gel technique as a nanocrystalline structure. In the presence of fluorene, an oxidant and ultraviolet irradiation, the catalyst converts the hydrocarbon to a mixture of fluorenol/fluorenone oxidation products. The close proximity between β-Bi2O3 and Bi2Sn2O7 heterojunction phases in the catalyst is thought to be responsible for the efficient charge separation and catalytic activity. An indirect chemical probe method using active species scavengers elucidated that the photo-oxidation mechanism proceeds via holes and superoxide radical (O2.−) moieties.