A　novel　photocatalyst　SrSn(OH)6　was　successfully　synthesized　via　a　facile　homogeneous　precipitation　method.　The　photocatalytic　activities　of　the　as-prepared　SrSn(OH)6　were　evaluated　by　the　degradation　of　benzene　and　rhodamine　B　under　the　irradiation　of　254nm　UV　light.　The　experimental　results　indicated　that　SrSn(OH)6　synthesized　at　a　lower　pH　value　had　a　better　photocatalytic　activity.　Furthermore,　compared　with　commercial　TiO2　(P25),　the　as-prepared　SrSn(OH)6　showed　a　better　photocatalytic　performance　for　degradation　of　benzene　under　254nm　UV　irradiation.　During　32h　of　photocatalytic　process,　the　conversion　ratio　of　benzene　over　SrSn(OH)6　and　TiO2　(P25)　were　31%　and　11%,　and　the　mineralization　ratio　were　about　55%　and　16%,　respectively.　Based　on　the　characterization　results　and　the　detection　of　active　species,　the　high　photocatalytic　activity　of　SrSn(OH)6　may　attribute　to　the　OH　radicals,　which　play　an　important　role　in　the　degradation　of　both　benzene　and　rhodamine　B.　This　article　enriches　the　study　of　hydroxide　stannates　and　has　reference　significance　for　other　hydroxide　stannates.　This　work　shows　that　the　hexagonal　phase　of　hydroxide　stannate　may　not　have　much　better　or　worse　photocatalytic　performance　than　cubic　phase　does.　So,　the　crystal　phase　cannot　be　the　main　reason　to　influence　the　photocatalytic　performance　of　hydroxide　stannates.　More　research　of　other　hydroxide　stannates　should　focus　on　making　good　use　of　the　hydroxyl　groups　in　its　structure.　©　2015　Elsevier　B.V..