The oxidation of light alkanes that is catalyzed by heme and nonheme iron enzymes is widely proposed to involve highly reactive {Fe V = O} species or {Fe IV = O} ligand cation radicals. The identification of these high-valent iron species and the development of an iron-catalyzed oxidation of light alkanes under mild conditions are of vital importance. Herein, a combination of tridentate and bidentate ligands was used for the generation of highly reactive nonheme {Fe=O} species. A method that employs [Fe III (Me 3 tacn)(Cl-acac)Cl] + as a catalyst in the presence of oxone was developed for the oxidation of hydrocarbons, including cyclohexane, propane, and ethane (Me 3 tacn = 1,4,7-trimethyl-1,4,7-triazacyclononane; Cl-acac = 3-chloro-acetylacetonate). The complex [Fe III (Tp) 2 ] + and oxone enabled stoichiometric oxidation of propane and ethane. ESI-MS, EPR and UV/Vis spectroscopy, 18 O labeling experiments, and DFT studies point to [Fe IV (Me 3 tacn)({Cl-acac}C + )(O)] 2+ as the catalytically active species.