Mononuclear metal–dioxygen species are key intermediates that are frequently observed in the catalytic cycles of dioxygen activation by metal-loenzymes and their biomimetic compounds. In this work, a side-on cobalt-(III)–peroxo complex bearing a macro-cyclic N-tetramethylated cyclam (TMC) ligand, [CoIII(15-TMC)(O2)]+, was synthesized and characterized with various spectroscopic methods. Upon protonation, this cobalt(III)–peroxo complex was cleanly converted into an end-on cobalt(III)–hydroperoxo complex, [CoIII(15-TMC)(OOH)]2+. The cobalt(III)–hydroperoxo complex was further converted to [CoIII(15-TMC-CH2-O)]2+ by hydroxylation of a methyl group of the 15-TMC ligand. Kinetic studies and 18O-labeling experiments proposed that the aliphatic hydroxylation occurred via a CoIV–oxo (or CoIII–oxyl) species, which was formed by O–O bond homolysis of the cobalt(III)–hydroperoxo complex. In conclusion, we have shown the synthesis, structural and spectroscopic characterization, and reactivities of mono-nuclear cobalt complexes with peroxo, hydroperoxo, and oxo ligands.