The push effect of anionic axial ligands of high-valent iron(IV)-oxo porphyrin pi-cation radicals, (Porp)(+)-Fe-IV(0)(X) (X = OH-, AcO-, Cl-. and CF3SO3-), in alkane hydroxylation is investigated by B3LYP DFT calculations. The electron-donating ability of anionic axial ligands influences the activation energy for the alkane hydroxylation by the iron(IV)-oxo intermediates and the Fe-O bond distance of the iron-oxo species in transition state. (c) 2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.