An iron(II) complex with a pyridine-containing 14-membered macrocyclic (PyMAC) ligand Li (Li = 2,7,12-trimethyl-3,7,11,17-tetra-azabicyclo[11.3.1]heptadeca- 1(17),13,15-triene), 1, was prepared and characterized. Complex 1 contains low-spin iron(II) in a pseudo-octahedral geometry as determined by X-ray crystallography. Magnetic susceptibility measurements (298 K, Evans method) and Mossbauer spectroscopy (90 K, delta = 0.50(2) mm/s, = Delta E-Q = 0.78(2) mm/s) confirmed that the low-spin configuration of Fe(II) is retained in liquid and frozen acetonitrile solutions. Cyclic voltammetry revealed a reversible one-electron oxidation/reduction of the iron center in 1, with E-1/2(Fe-III/ Fe-II) = 0.49 V vs Fc(+)/Fc, a value very similar to the half-wave potentials of related macrocyclic complexes. Complex 1 catalyzed the epoxidation of cyclooctene and other olefins with H2O2. Low-temperature stopped-flow kinetic studies demonstrated the formation of an iron(IV)-oxo intermediate in the reaction of 1 with H2O2 and concomitant partial ligand oxidation. A soluble iodine(V) oxidant, isopropyl 2-iodoxybenzoate, was found to be an excellent oxygen atom donor for generating Fe(IV)-oxo intermediates for additional spectroscopic (UV-vis in CH3CN: lambda(max) = 705 nm, epsilon approximate to 240 M-1 cm(-1); Mossbauer: delta = 0.03(2) mm/s, Delta E-Q.= 2.00(2) mm/s) and kinetic studies. The electrophilic character of the (L1)Fe-IV=O intermediate was established in rapid (k(2) = 26.5 M-1 s(-1) for oxidation of PPh3 at 0 degrees C), associative (Delta H-double dagger = 53 kJ/mol, Delta S-double dagger* = -25 J/K mol) oxidation of substituted triarylphosphines (electron-donating substituents increased the reaction rate, with a negative value of Hammet's parameter rho = -1.05). Similar double-mixing kinetic experiments demonstrated somewhat slower (k(2) = 0.17 M-1 s(-1) at 0 degrees C), clean, second-order oxidation of cyclooctene into epoxide with preformed (L1)Fe-IV=O that could be generated from (L1)Fen and H2O2 or isopropyl 2-iodoxybenzoate. Independently determined rates of ferryl(IV) formation and its subsequent reaction with cyclooctene confirmed that the Fe(IV)oxo species, (L1)Felv=O, is a kinetically competent intermediate for cyclooctene epoxidation with H2O2 at room temperature. Partial ligand oxidation of (L1)Few=O occurs over time in oxidative media, reducing the oxidizing ability of the ferryl species; the macrocyclic nature of the ligand is retained, resulting in ferryl(IV) complexes with Schiff base PyMACs. NH-groups of the PyMAC ligand assist the oxygen atom transfer from ferryl(IV) intermediates to olefin substrates.