A series of complexes with [Fe
II2(
![](/images/entities/mgr.gif)
-OH)
2] cores has been synthesized with N3 and N4 ligands and structurallycharacterized to serve as models for nonheme diiron(II) sites in enzymes that bind and activate O
2. These complexesreact with O
2 in solution via bimolecular rate-limiting steps that differ in rate by 10
3-fold, depending on liganddenticity and steric hindrance near the diiron center. Low-temperature trapping of a (
![](/images/entities/mgr.gif)
-oxo)(
![](/images/entities/mgr.gif)
-1,2-peroxo)diiron(III)intermediate after O
2 binding requires sufficient steric hindrance around the diiron center and the loss of a proton(presumably that of a hydroxo bridge or a yet unobserved hydroperoxo intermediate). The relative stability of theseand other (
![](/images/entities/mgr.gif)
-1,2-peroxo)diiron(III) intermediates suggests that these species may not be on the direct pathway fordioxygen activation.