The Molecular and Electronic Structure of Octahedral Tris(phenolato)iron(III) Complexes and Their Phenoxyl Radical Analogues: A Mössbauer and Resonance Raman Spectroscopic Study

One, two, and three coordinated phenoxyl radicals are formed by a series of differently substituted tris(phenolato)iron(III) complexes, [FeIIIL], which undergo three reversible one-electron oxidations. The cations [FeIIIL]+. and [FeIIIL]2+.. have been characterized by zero- and applied field Mössbauer and resonance Raman spectroscopy. Both techniques prove unambiguously and independently that these oxidations are ligand- rather than metal-centered processes.