cis-[CrIII(phen)2(H2O)2]3+ and cis-[CrIII(bipy)2(H2O)2]3+ (phen = 1,10-phenanthroline and bipy = 2,2′-bipyridine) were readily oxidized by either PbO2 or PhIO to form the chromium(V) complexes [CrV(phen)2(O)2]+ and [CrV(bipy)2(O)2]+ respectively, which were characterized by elemental analysis, i.r. and e.s.r. spectroscopy.