As ketones are a widespread functional group in pharmaceuticals, the oxidation of alcohols to ketones is an important process,.  The standard method is to use a stoichiometric amount of a heavy metal oxidant, such as KMnO₄.  More recently, the catalytic aerobic oxidation of primary alcohols using metal/TEMPO (2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-N-oxyl) based systems have been extensively studied provide a means towards greener chemistry.  Previously, metal/TEMPO adducts, FeCl₃(TEMPO) (1) and AlCl₃(TEMPO) (2) were synthesized by the Hayton group.  Addition of a primary alcohol to 1 or 2 results in oxidation to the corresponding ketones and generation of FeCl₃(TEMPOH) and AlCl₃(TEMPOH), respectively.  We report on extending the chemistry to the stronger Lewis acids FeBr₃ and BBr₃. The stronger Lewis acids modulate the redox potential of the TEMPO ligand which may facilitate the activation of a broader range of C-H bonds.  Thus, addition of TEMPO to an Et₂O solution of FeBr₃ results in formation an orange precipitate.  Surprisingly, X-ray crystallography reveals the product to be Br₃Fe(TEMPOH) (3) and not FeBr₃(TEMPO). This was identified by the long N1–O1 bond distance of 1.408(3) Å in the solid state structure.  FeBr₃(TEMPO) is likely formed transiently. However, consistent with our hypothesis, the TEMPO is able to abstract a hydrogen atom from Et₂O, unlike complex 1.  In contrast, addition of TEMPO to BBr₃ results in TEMPO disproportionation. [TEMPO][BBr₄] (4) precipitates from hexanes in moderate yields as a beige precipitate. Whereas BrB(TEMPO)₂ (5) is isolated as a hexane soluble colorless solid moderate yields. Complexes 4 and 5 have been structurally characterized by X-ray crystallography.