Five new ternary iron(III) complexes with phenolate-based ligands of general molecular formula, [Fe(L-1)B] and [Fe(L-2)B], where L-1 = 2-(bis(2-hydroxybenzyl)amino)acetic acid, L-2 = 2-bis[3,5-di(tert-butyl)-2-hydroxybenzyl]aminoacetic acid, B = phen (1,10-phenanthroline), ip (1H-imidazo[4,5-f][1,10]phenanthroline) and pyip (2-(pyren-1-yl)-1H-imidazo[4,5-f][1,10]-phenanthroline) were synthesized and probed for visible light-induced cytotoxicity in human cervical carcinoma (HeLa) cells. The complexes in generating hydroxyl radicals from molecular oxygen on visible light-induced phenolate(O)-> Fe(III) or carboxylate(O -> Fe(III) charge transfer prompted apoptosis in HeLa cells with IC50 values in the range of 4.6-24.3 mu M while remaining non-toxic in dark.