The photocatalytic performance of $TiO_2$ thin films coated on porous alumina balls using various aqueous $TiOCl_2$ solutions as starting precursors, to which 1.0 $mol\%$ transition metal ($Ni^{2+},;Cr^{3+},;Fe^{3+},;Nb^{3+},;and;V^{5+}$) chlorides had been already added, has been investigated, together with characterizations for $TiO_2$ sols synthesized simultaneously in the same autoclave through hydrothermal method. The synthesized $TiO_2$ sols were all formed with an anatase phase, and their particle size was between several nm and 30 nm showing ${zeta}-potential$ of $-25{sim}-35$ mV, being maintained stable for over 6 months. However, the $TiO_2$ sol added with Cr had a much lower value of -potential and larger particle sizes. The coated $TiO_2$ thin films had almost the same shape and size as those of the sol. The pure $TiO_2$ sol showed the highest optical absorption in the ultraviolet light region, and other $TiO_2$ sols containing $Cr^{3+},;Fe^{3+};and;Ni^{2+}$ showed higher optical absorption than pure sol in the visible light region. According to the experiments for removal of a gas-phase benzene, the pure $TiO_2$ film showed the highest photo dissociation rate in the ultraviolet light region, but in artificial sunlight the photo dissociation rate of $TiO_2$ coated films containing $Cr^{3+},;Fe^{3+};and;Ni^{2+}$ was measured higher together with the increase of optical absorption by doping.