Dynamical properties, librational and vibrational motions of water molecules in the first and second hydration shells of the Fe(II) and Fe(III) ion were evaluated by means of velocity autocorrelation functions obtained by combined quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical molecular dynamics (QM/MM-MD) simulations. The frequencies of rotation around three principal axes and the frequencies of intramolecular vibration of the water molecules in the first hydration shells obtained from the simulations are blue-shifted for both ions compared to those observed experimentally for liquid water. The intramolecular geometry of water molecules in the quantum mechanically treated region (ion plus first hydration shell) shows shorter O-H bonds and wider H-O-H angles than the bulk solvent. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.