Three different "Co-doped cobalt carbonyl complexes, NaCo (CO) 4 , Co 2 (CO) 8 , and CH 3 C(=0)Co(CO) 3 PPh 3 , representing a formal valence state of cobalt -1,0, and +1, respectively, were prepared and studied by emission Mössbauer spectroscopy. As a result of aftereffects of the EC decay of 57 Co, Fe 2+ and Fe 3+ states could be identified in the Mössbauer spectra with hardly any dependence on the initial valence state of cobalt. This observation is explained by assuming the fragmentation of these molecules as result of the electron loss caused by the Auger ionization of the nucleogenic 57 Fe atom.