Synthetic photochemistry provides opportunities to access reactive species under conditions that allow for characterization by time-resolved or cryogenic methods without necessitating stabilization via synthetic derivatization. In the context of Mn oxo chemistry, Newcomb and co-workers demonstrated that both Mn(IV) and Mn(V) oxo complexes could be accessed by photolysis of Mn oxyanion complexes (Figure ). Flash photolysis of Mn(III)