X-ray photoelectron Fe3s and Fe3p spectra are employed to study the electron structure and the spin magnetic state of bi-, tri-, and hexa-nuclear trimethylacetate iron complexes. Assignment of the spectra is performed based on an isolated-ion Pauli-Fock calculation of Fe3s and Fe3p spectra of the Fe atoms in bi-and tri-valent states. Nonequivalent FeIII and FeII atoms are detected in tri-and hexa-nuclear complexes. Paramagnetic-limit molecular magnetic moments are calculated using effective atomic magnetic moments obtained from spin-sensitive spectral characteristics. Comparison of those values with the magnetic measurements data demonstrates antiferromagnetic interaction within the complexes. © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.