The present investigation explores the functional features of several novel and other previously ill-defined ferrous and ferric complexes of the picolinic acid anion (Pic), which are used to mediate Gif-type oxidation of hydrocarbons by H 2 O 2 . Complexes [Fe(Pic) 2 (py) 2 ], [Fe(Pic) 3 ]‚0.5py, [Fe 2 O(Pic) 4 (py) 2 ], [Fe 2 (µ-OH) 2 (Pic) 4 ], and FeCl 3 have been employed in oxygenations of adamantane by H 2 O 2 mostly in py/AcOH to reveal that tert-and sec-adamantyl radicals are generated in Gif solutions. The alleged absence of sec-adamantyl radicals from Gif product profiles has been previously interpreted as compelling evidence in support of a non-radical mechanism for the activation of secondary C-H sites in Gif chemistry. The product profile is entirely dictated by trapping of the diffusively free adamantyl radicals, since authentic tert-and sec-adamantyl radicals are shown to partition between dioxygen and protonated pyridine at 4% O 2 (in N 2 ), or between dioxygen and TEMPO at 100% O 2 , in a manner analogous to that observed in Gif oxygenations of adamantane. The low tert/sec selectivity (2.2-4.5) obtained, increasing with increasing dioxygen partial pressure, and the small intramolecular kinetic isotope effect values revealed by employing adamantane-1,3-d 2 (1.06(6) (Ar); 1.73(2) (4% O 2 in N 2 )), indicate the presence of an indiscriminate oxidant under inert atmosphere, coupled to a more selective oxidant at higher partial pressures of dioxygen. Gif oxygenation of DMSO by H 2 O 2 mediated by [Fe(Pic) 2 (py) 2 ] provides pyridine-trapped methyl radicals under argon, as expected for the addition reaction of hydroxyl radicals to DMSO. The reaction is progressively inhibited by increasing amounts of EtOH, generating pyridine-captured CH 3 • CHOH and • CH 2 CH 2 OH radicals. Quantification of the DMSO-versus EtOH-derived alkyl radicals affords an estimate of k EtOH /k DMSO equal to 0.34(3), in reasonable agreement with the kinetics of radiolytically produced hydroxyl radicals (k EtOH /k DMSO ) 0.29). The formation of methyl radicals in Gif oxygenation of DMSO is also supported by the quantitative generation of tert-adamantyl radicals in the presence of 1-iodoadamantane. These results are consistent with the action of hydroxyl radicals in Gif oxygenations by Fe II/III /H 2 O 2 (Ar), most likely coupled to substrate-centered alkoxyl radicals under O 2 . The oxygen-centered radicals perform H-atom abstractions from Gif substrates to generate diffusively free carbon-centered radicals, in accord with previously reported findings.