The spectroscopic properties and electronic structure of the four-coordinate high-spin [Fe-III(L3)((OOBu)-Bu-t)](+) complex (1; L3 = hydrotris(3-tert-butyl-5-isopropyl-1-pyrazolyl)borate; Bu-t = tert-butyl) are investigated and compared to the six-coordinate high-spin [Fe(6-Me(3)TPA)(OHx)((OOBu)-Bu-t)](x+) system (TPA = tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine, x = 1 or 2) studied earlier [Lehnert, N.; Ho, R. Y. N.; Que, L., Jr.; Solomon, E. I. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2001, 123, 12802-12816]. Complex 1 is characterized by Raman features at 889 and 830 cm(-1) which are assigned to the O-O stretch (mixed with the symmetric C-C stretch) and a band at 625 cm-1 that corresponds to nu(Fe-O). The UV-vis spectrum shows a charge-transfer (CT) transition at 510 nm from the alkylperoxo pi(nu)(*) (v = vertical to C-O-O plane) to a d orbital of Fe(Ill). A second CT is identified from MCD at 370 nm that is assigned to a transition from pi(h)(*) (h = horizontal to C-O-O plane) to an Fe(III) d orbital. For the TPA complex the pi(nu)(*) CT is at 560 nm while the pi(h)(*) CT is to higher energy than 250 nm. These spectroscopic differences between four- and six-coordinate h Fe(III)-OOR complexes are interpreted on the basis of their different ligand fields. In addition, the electronic structure of Fe-OOPtn complexes with the biologically relevant pterinperoxo ligand are investigated. Substitution of the tert-butyl group in 1 by pterin leads to the corresponding Fe(III)-OOPtn species (2), which shows a stronger electron donation from the peroxide to Fe(III) than 1. This is related to the lower ionization potential of pterin. Reduction of 2 by one electron leads to the Fe(II)-OOPtn complex (3), which is relevant as a model for potential intermediates in pterin-dependent hydroxylases. However, in the four-coordinate ligand field of 3, the additional electron is located in a nonbonding d orbital of iron. Hence, the pterinperoxo ligand is not activated for heterolytic cleavage of the O-O bond in this system. This is also evident from the calculated reaction energies that are endothermic by at least 20 kcal/mol.