Photophysics of Fe(III)-tartrate and Fe(III)-citrate complexes in aqueous solutions

► Fe(III) complexes with citric and tartaric acids were investigated by ultrafast spectroscopy. ► Biexponential decay of transient absorbance was observed. ► Lifetimes and spectral properties of the excited states of the Fe(III) complexes were determined. ► Possible mechanism of the excited states decay were proposed and discussed.