Zero-field splitting (ZFS) parameters of nondeuterated metalloporphyrins [Fe(TPP)X] (X = F, Br, I; H2TPP = tetraphenylporphyrin) have been directly determined by inelastic neutron scattering (INS). The ZFS values are D = 4.49(9) cm(-1) for tetragonal polycrystalline [Fe(TPP)F], and D = 8.8(2) cm(-1), E = 0.1(2) cm(-1) and D = 13.4(6) cm(-1), E = 0.3(6) cm(-1) for monoclinic polycrystalline [Fe(TPP)Br] and [Fe(TPP)I], respectively. Along with our recent report of the ZFS value of D = 6.33(8) cm(-1) for tetragonal polycrystalline [Fe(TPP)Cl], these data provide a rare, complete determination of ZFS parameters in a metalloporphyrin halide series. The electronic structure of [Fe(TPP)X] (X = F, Cl, Br, I) has been studied by multireference ab initio methods: the complete active space self-consistent field (CASSCF) and the N-electron valence perturbation theory (NEVPT2) with the aim of exploring the origin of the large and positive zero-field splitting D of the (6)A(1) ground state. D was calculated from wave functions of the electronic multiplets spanned by the d(5) configuration of Fe(III) along with spin-orbit coupling accounted for by quasi degenerate perturbation theory. Results reproduce trends of D from inelastic neutron scattering data increasing in the order from F, Cl, Br, to I. A mapping of energy eigenvalues and eigenfunctions of the S = 3/2 excited states on ligand field theory was used to characterize the sigma- and pi-antibonding effects decreasing from F to I. This is in agreement with similar results deduced from ab initio calculations on CrX63- complexes and also with the spectrochemical series showing a decrease of the ligand field in the same directions. A correlation is found between the increase of D and decrease of the pi- and sigma-antibonding energies e(lambda)(X) (lambda = sigma, pi) in the series from X = F to I. Analysis of this correlation using second-order perturbation theory expressions in terms of angular overlap parameters rationalizes the experimentally deduced trend. D parameters from CASSCF and NEVPT2 results have been calibrated against those from the INS data, yielding a predictive power of these approaches. Methods to improve the quantitative agreement between ab initio calculated and experimental D and spectroscopic transitions for high-spin Fe(III) complexes are proposed.