Synthesis, Photophysical and Electrochemical Characterization of the Heteroleptic Iridium Complexes with Modified Ancillary Ligand by Carrier-transporting Groups

Two heteroleptic iridium complexes with a general formulation of (piq)₂Ir(G‐pic) were synthesized and characterized by ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR and element analysis, in which piq is 1‐phenylisoquinoline, G‐pic is picolinic acid derivative containing carrier‐transporting group by a non‐conjugated connection of 1,6‐dioxyhexane. Both (piq)₂Ir(G‐pic) complexes exhibited an enhanced UV absorption band at 310–400 nm, an increased HOMO energy level and an identical red emission peaked at 612 nm with higher fluorescence quantum efficiency (ø_f), compared to (piq)₂Ir(pic) in dichloromethane solution. Interestingly, this iridium complex containing both hole‐transporting triphenylamine and electron‐transporting oxadiazole moieties exhibited the best Ф_f of 0.58 using Ru(bpy)₃(PF6)₂ as the reference (ø_f=0.062 in acetonitrile). This work indicates that incorporating carrier‐transporting groups into ancillary ligand by a non‐conjugated connection is available for improving the optophysical properties of their iridium complexes.     

以1-苯基吡唑为主配体的红光Ir(III)配合物的合成及光电特性

合成了一种新型红色磷光配合物二(1-苯基咪唑) (1-苯基异喹啉)合铱((ppz)₂Ir(piq)), 通过核磁共振氢谱(¹H NMR)对其结构进行了表征, 通过紫外-可见(UV-Vis)吸收光谱、荧光光谱、低温磷光光谱、循环伏安法及含时密度泛函理论(TD-DFT)对其光物理性能及能级结构进行了研究. 制备了一系列基于(ppz)₂Ir(piq)的电致发光器件, 研究了(ppz)₂Ir(piq)的电致发光性质. 结果表明, (ppz)₂Ir(piq)的UV-Vis 吸收峰主要位于296、342、395 和460 nm, 固态粉末的室温磷光发射峰位于618 nm, 在2-甲基四氢呋喃(2-MeTHF)溶液中其低温磷光发射峰位于598 nm, 其三线态能级(E_T)为2.07 eV. (ppz)₂Ir(piq)的最高占据轨道(HOMO), 其主要定域于配体ppz 和金属Ir(III)上, 最低未占据轨道(LUMO)主要定域于配体piq 上. (ppz)₂Ir(piq)的HOMO和LUMO 能级分别为-5.92和-3.62 eV. 基于(ppz)₂Ir(piq)电致发光器件的优化掺杂浓度为8%-12% (w), 最大电致发光谱峰位于616 nm,最大电流效率约10 cd·A^-1, 最大功率效率为4.44 lm·W^-1, 色坐标保持在(0.65, 0.35)附近, 是一种潜在的饱和红光磷光材料.     

Hyperbranched polymers with aggregation-induced emission property for solution-processed white organic light-emitting diodes

In this work, a new series of hyperbranched polymers of PFTPE-Ir(piq)₃-X(X?=?1, 5, 10) were designed and synthesized, in which tris(1-phenylisoquinoline)iridium(Ш) (Ir(piq)₃) acts as red emission core and PFTPE acts as branches. The photophysical study reveals that these hyperbranched polymers exhibit aggregation-induced emission (AIE) characteristic, inducing in much higher photoluminescent quantum yield (Φ_Y) in neat film than that in dilute tetrahydrofuran (THF) solution. The white-light OLEDs using PFTPE-Ir(piq)₃-X as emission layer show rather weaker efficiency roll-off. Especially, the white-light OLED based on PFTPE-Ir(piq)₃-5 as emission layer shows a maximum luminance of 4686?cd/m², a maximum luminous efficiency of 2.43?cd/A, a maximum external quantum efficiency of 1.08% and the Commission Internationale de l’Eclairage coordinate of (0.26, 0.36).     

Synthesis,characterization, and application of light‐emitting copolyfluorenes slightly doped with distyrylbenzene derivatives

Copolyfluorenes PFG1～PFG4 slightly doped with 0.006–0.5 mol % of 2,5‐dihexyloxy‐1,4‐bis(2‐phenyl‐2‐cyanovinyl)benzene (green chromophore) were synthesized by the Suzuki coupling reaction to be evaluated as hosts for white‐light electroluminescent (EL) devices. Their optical, thermal and electrochemical properties were almost identical to those of polyfluorene ( PF ) due to minimal chromophore content. However, the electroluminescent (EL) spectra of the PFGn were very different from photoluminescence spectra in film state. Relative intensity of green emission (ca. 521 nm) in EL spectra are much stronger than those in PL spectra, which can be attributed to charges trapping in the chromophores due to its narrow band gap (E_g ≈ 2.56 eV). The performance of EL devices [ITO/PEDOT:PSS/polymer/Ca (50 nm)/Al (100 nm)] were improved with an increase in chromophore content. The PFG4 device revealed the best performance (6790 cd/m², 1.69 cd/A), and the PFG1 and PFG2 devices exhibited comparable intensity in blue and green emissions. Blend EL devices were fabricated by using the PFGn as the hosts and a red iridium complex [Ir(piq)₂(acac)] as dopant. By controlling the amount of the iridium complex, the white‐light emitting device was achieved with PFG2 , with maximum brightness and CIE coordinate being 4120 cd/m² and (0.31, 0.28), respectively. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 47: 149–160, 2009     

Saturated Red‐Emitting Electrophosphorescent Polymers with Iridium Coordinating to β‐Diketonate Units in the Main Chain

Summary: A series of novel copolymers with fluorene‐alt‐carbazole segments and β‐diketonate moieties coordinating to iridium were synthesized by Suzuki polycondensation, and characterized by ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, and GPC. In the absorption spectra of the copolymers, metal‐to‐ligand charge‐transfer transitions coming from iridium complex increased in intensity with increasing content of Ir complex in copolymers. The photoluminescence spectra of the copolymers were dominated by emission from the iridium complex with peak at ca. 620 nm even at the feed ratio of the complex as low as 0.5 mol‐%. The electrochemical investigation indicated that the incorporation of carbazole and iridium complex units reduce the barrier for both hole and electron injection compared with the polyfluorene. The light‐emitting diodes using the copolymers as emission layer under different device configurations were fabricated. The devices with 2‐(4‐biphenylyl)‐5‐(4‐tert‐butylphenyl)‐1,3,4‐oxadiazole (PBD) show significantly higher external quantum efficiencies than those without PBD. A saturated red‐emitting polymer light‐emitting diode with emission peak at 628 nm, the maximum external quantum efficiency of 0.6% at the current density (J) of 38.5 mA · cm⁻², and the maximum luminance of 541 cd · m⁻² at 15.8 V was achieved from the device ITO/PEDOT/PFCzIrpiq3 + PBD (40%)/Ba/Al.

Novel copolymers with fluorene‐alt‐carbazole segments and iridium coordinating to β‐diketonate in the main chain.     

Polyfluorene derivatives pending iridium complexes: Improved optoelectronic properties by introducing D‐A units and altering pendent mode

To study influence of the donor(D)‐acceptor(A) units and pendent mode of phosphorescent moiety on the opto‐electronic properties for its resulting copolymers, two D‐A‐based polyfluorene derivatives ( P 1 and P 2) pending the red‐emitting iridium bi(phenylisoquilonato) (picolinato) [Ir(Piq)₂(pic)] unit and a polyfluorene derivative ( P 3) only pending Ir(Piq)₂(pic) unit were synthesized and characterized, in which the donor of carbazole, the acceptor of oxadiazole are grafted into the C‐9 position of fluorene, the Ir(Piq)₂(pic) unit is pended into either the C‐9 position for P 1 and P 3 or the end for P 2 of fluorene by unconjugated linkage, respectively. Their opto‐electronic properties were significantly influenced by the D‐A units and pendent mode of the Ir(Piq)₂(pic) unit. In the polymer light‐emitting devices with a configuration of ITO/PEDOT/polymers/LiF/Al, the P 1 showed best electroluminescent properties than the P 2 and P 3. The maximum current efficiency of 0.72 cd/A and the highest luminance of 1398 cd/m 2 were obtained in the P 1‐based device, which are 1.3 and 1.5 times higher than those in the P 2‐based device, respectively. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2012     

Novel orange-red light-emitting polymers with cyclometaled iridium complex grafted in alkyl chain

Novel poly(fluorene-alt-carbazole) (PFCz) based copolymers with 3,6-carbazole-N-alkyl grafted iridium complex using 2,3-diphenylpyrazine as ligand (IrBpz) were synthesized by Suzuki polycondensation. The emission of host polymer, PFCz, was completely quenched when the copolymer with 1 mol% of iridium complex. An orange-red emission with CIE coordinate of (0.56, 0.42) was observed from Phosphorescent polymer light-emitting diodes (PhPLEDs). The PhPLEDs made by this copolymer-iridium complex showed a maximum luminous efficiency (LE) of 5.58 cd/A and a maximal luminance of 8625 cd/m². White light with CIE coordinate of (0.33, 0.27) was observed from white PhPLEDs (WPhPLEDs) made by the copolymer containing 0.4 mol% iridium complex. A LE of 2.30 cd/A with luminance of 2068 cd/m² was observed from WPhPLEDs.     

Deep-Red and Near-Infrared Iridium Complexes with Fine-Tuned Emission Colors by Adjusting Trifluoromethyl Substitution on Cyclometalated Ligands Combined with Matched Ancillary Ligands for Highly Efficient Phosphorescent Organic Light-Emitting Diodes

Six novel Ir(C^N)₂(L^X)-type heteroleptic iridium complexes with deep-red and near-infrared region (NIR)-emitting coverage were constructed through the cross matching of various cyclometalating (C^N) and ancillary (LX) ligands. Here, three novel C^N ligands were designed by introducing the electron-withdrawing group CF₃ on the ortho (o-), meta (m-), and para (p-) positions of the phenyl ring in the 1-phenylisoquinoline (piq) group, which were combined with two electron-rich LX ligands (dipba and dipg), respectively, leading to subsequent iridium complexes with gradually changing emission colors from deep red (≈660 nm) to NIR (≈700 nm). Moreover, a series of phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes (PhOLEDs) were fabricated by employing these phosphors as dopant emitters with two doping concentrations, 5% and 10%, respectively. They exhibited efficient electroluminescence (EL) with significantly high EQE values: >15.0% for deep red light0 (λ_max = 664 nm) and >4.0% for NIR cases (λ_max = 704 nm) at a high luminance level of 100 cd m⁻². This work not only provides a promising approach for finely tuning the emission color of red phosphors via the easily accessible molecular design strategy, but also enables the establishment of an effective method for enriching phosphorescent-emitting molecules for practical applications, especially in the deep-red and near-infrared region (NIR).     

Application of heteroleptic iridium complexes with fluorenyl-modified 1-phenylisoquinoline ligand for high-efficiency red polymer light-emitting devices

A series of new heteroleptic iridium complexes bearing fluorenyl-modified 1-phenylisoquinoline as the first ligand and different ancillary ligands has been prepared and characterized. These complexes bis(1-(3-(9,9-dimethyl-fluoren-2-yl)phenyl)isoquinoline-C2,N′)iridium(III)acetylacetonate(Ir(DMFPQ)₂acac)), bis(1-(3-(9,9-dimethyl-fluoren-2-yl)phenyl)isoquinoline-C2,N′)iridium(III)(3-(pyridin-2-yl)-1,2,4-triazolate)(Ir(DMFPQ)₂pt) and bis(1-(3-(9,9-dimethyl-fluoren-2-yl)phenyl)isoquinoline-C2,N′)iridium(III)(2-(2-pyridyl)benzimidazolate)(Ir(DMFPQ)₂pbi) showed red phosphorescent emissions of 615-630 nm in dichloromethane solution. The device fabricated with these complexes doped into a host polyfluorene (PFO) blend with 30% of an electron transport material 2-(4-biphenyl)-5-(4-tert-butylphenyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazole (PBD) showed high device efficiencies. Ir(DMFPQ)₂acac exhibited red emission with an external quantum efficiency(η_ext) of 14.3% and luminous efficiency(η_c) of 7.8 cd/A at 1.2 mA/cm² and the maximum brightness reached 10 006 cd/m² (Commission Internationale de I’Eclairage(CIE) chromaticity coordinates: (0.67, 0.32)) at 412 mA/cm². Ir(DMFPQ)₂pt showed a η_ext of 13.0% and η_c of 9.2 cd/A at 17 mA/cm², 1532 cd/m², and the maximum brightness reached 15085 cd/m² (CIE: 0.64, 0.34) at 360 mA/cm².     

Effect of substituents on the photoluminescence performance of Ir(III) complexes: Synthesis, electrochemistry and photophysical properties

We have prepared and characterized a series of substituted imidazole ligands namely dmmppi, dmmpfpi, dmdmppi and dmdmpfpi. These compounds will readily undergo cyclometalation with iridium trichloride and form di-irrido and the six coordinated iridium(III) dopants of the substituted imidazole ligands. They emit green colour both in solid and in solution phase. The peak emission wavelength of the dopants (λ_max = 428–497 nm) can be finely tuned depending upon the electronic properties of the phenyl, fluorophyenyl, methoxy phenyl and dimethoxyphenyl substituents as well as their positions in the imidazole ring. These iridium complexes namely Ir(dmmppi)₂(pic) 1a, Ir(dmmpfpi)₂(pic) 1b, Ir(dmdmppi)₂(pic) 1c and Ir(dmdmpfpi)₂(pic) 1d were characterized by ¹H NMR, MS and elemental analysis. All these iridium complexes 1a–1d show unusual high HOMO levels (E_HOMO = 5.21–5.41 eV) and high phosphorescence. These complexes emit green light with exceedingly high efficiency.     

Synthesis, opto-physics, and electroluminescence of cyclometalated iridium (III) complex with alkyltrifluorene picolinic acid

To improve the opto-physics, electroluminescence, and dispersibility of iridium (III) complexes in polymer light-emitting devices, we synthesized and characterized two red-emitting heteroleptic cyclometalated iridium (III) complexes of (Piq)₂Ir(Tfl-pic) and (Piq)₂Ir(Brfl-pic), in which Piq is 1-phenylisoquinoline, Tfl-pic and Brfl-pic are alkyltrifluorene- and dibromoalkylfluorene-containing picolinic acid derivatives bridged with alkoxy chain, respectively. Compared to (Piq)₂Ir(pic) and (Piq)₂Ir(Brfl-pic), (Piq)₂Ir(Tfl-pic) exhibited higher thermal stability, better dispersibility and excellent quantum efficiency. High-efficiency red emission with a maximum current efficiency of 6.28 cdA⁻¹ and a maximum EL peak at 608 nm was obtained in the (Piq)₂Ir(Tfl-pic)-doped devices using a blend of poly(9,9-dioctylfluorene) and 2-(4-biphenyl)-5-(4-tert -butylphenyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazole as a host matrix.     

Deep‐red light‐emitting phosphorescent dendrimer encapsulated tris‐[2‐benzo[b]thiophen‐2‐yl‐pyridyl] iridium (III) core for light‐emitting device applications

New deep‐red light‐emitting phosphorescent dendrimers with hole‐transporting carbazole dendrons were synthesized by reacting tris(2‐benzo[b]thiophen‐2‐yl‐pyridyl) iridium (III) complex with carbazolyl dendrons by DCC‐catalyzed esterification. The resulting first‐, second‐, and third‐generation dendrimers were found to be highly efficient as solution‐processable emitting materials and for use in host‐free electrophosphorescent light‐emitting diodes. We fabricated a host‐free dendrimer EL device with configuration ITO/PEDOT:PSS (40 nm)/dendrimer (55 nm)/BCP (10 nm)/Alq₃ (40 nm)/LiF (1 nm)/Al (100 nm) and characterized the device performance. The multilayered devices showed luminance of 561 cd/m² at 383.4 mA/cm² (12 V) for 15 , 1302 cd/m² at 321.3 mA/cm² (14 V) for 16 , and 422 cd/m² at 94.4 mA/cm² (18 V) for 17 . The third‐generation dendrimer, 17 (η_ext = 6.12% at 7.5 V), showed the highest external quantum efficiency (EQE) with an increase in the density of the light‐harvesting carbazole dendron. Three dendrimers exhibited considerably pure deep‐red emission with CIE 1931 (Commission International de L'Eclairage) chromaticity coordinates of x = 0.70, y = 0.30. The CIE coordinates remained very stable with the current density. The integration of rigid hole‐transporting dendrons and phosphorescent complexes provides a new route to design highly efficient solution‐processable materials for dendrimer light‐emitting diode (DLED) applications. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 7517–7533, 2008     

Synthesis and optoelectronic properties of a novel dinuclear cyclometalated platinum(II) complex containing triphenylamine-substituted indolo[3,2-b]carbazole derivative in the single-emissive-layer WPLEDs

A novel bi-picolinic acid derivative of H₂dipic-BTICz containing binary triphenylamine-substituted indolo[3,2-b]carbazole (BTICz) unit and its dinuclear platinum(II) complex of (dfppy)₂Pt₂(dipic-BTICz) were synthesized as a single-component emitter used in the white polymer light-emitting diodes (WPLEDs), where dfppy is 2-(2,4-difluorophenyl)pyridine and dipic-BTICz is an anion of H₂dipic-BTICz. The photophysical and electrochemical properties of (dfppy)₂Pt₂(dipic-BTICz) were investigated. Compared with the reported mononuclear platinum complex of (dfppy)Pt(pic), (dfppy)₂Pt₂(dipic-BTICz) exhibited a red-shifted photoluminescent peak at 434 nm in dilute dichloromethane (10⁻⁵ M), but a weakened and red-shifted aggregation emission peak at 640 nm besides its intrinsic emission at 445 nm in its neat films. Stable pure white emissions with CIE coordinates of (0.325±0.005, 0.345±0.015) and a maximum brightness of 208 cd/m² were observed in the (dfppy)₂Pt₂(dipic-BTICz)-doped single-emissive-layer (SEL) PLEDs using a blend of poly(vinylcarbazole) and 2-(4-biphenyl)-5-(4-tert-butylphenyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazole as a host matrix at 1 wt % dopant concentrations under applied voltages from 9 to 14 V. It indicates that the intrinsic and aggregation emissions of this dinuclear platinum complex were effectively tuned by inserting a new BTICz fluorophore in the dual picolinic acid derivative. Therefore, it is a promising single-component emitter to get white emission in SEL PLEDs.     

一种双核铕配合物的合成、光致发光和电致发光性质研究

合成了一个新的双核铕配合物Eu(TTA)₃(tpphz)Eu(TTA)₃(其中TTA＝去质子化的α-噻吩甲酰三氟丙酮; tpphz＝[3,2-a:2',3'-c:3',2'-h:2'',3''-j]四吡啶基吩嗪). 研究了该配合物的光致发光和电致发光性质. 一个四层电致发光器件ITO/TPD, 10 nm/Eu(TTA)₃(tpphz)Eu(TTA)₃, 20 nm/BCP, 20 nm/AlQ, 40 nm/Mg_0.9Ag_0.1, 200 nm/Ag, 100 nm表现出中心在633 nm处的宽带红光发射, 该宽带发射可能来源于双核Eu(III)配合物和TPD形成的激基复合物. 该器件的启动电压为10 V, 在18 V和135 mA/cm²时的最大亮度达146 cd/m².     

Organometallic Iridium(III) Complex Sensitized Ternary Hybrid Photocatalyst for CO2 to CO Conversion

A series of heteroleptic iridium(III) complexes functionalized with two phosphonic acid (−PO₃H₂) groups ( ^dfppy IrP , ^ppy IrP , ^btp IrP , and ^piq IrP ) were prepared and anchored onto rhenium(I) catalyst (ReP)-loaded TiO₂ particles (TiO₂/ReP) to build up a new IrP -sensitized TiO₂ photocatalyst system ( IrP /TiO₂/ReP). The photosensitizing behavior of the IrP series was examined within the IrP /TiO₂/ReP platform for the photocatalytic conversion of CO₂ into CO. The four IrP -based ternary hybrids showed increased conversion activity and durability than that of the corresponding homo- ( IrP +ReP) and heterogeneous ( IrP +TiO₂/ReP) mixed systems. Among the four IrP /TiO₂/ReP photocatalysts, the low-energy-light (>500 nm) activated ^piq IrP immobilized ternary system ( ^piq IrP /TiO₂/ReP) exhibited the most durable conversion activity, giving a turnover number of ≥730 for 170 h. A similar kinetic feature observed through time-resolved photoluminescence measurements of both ^btp IrP /TiO₂ and TiO₂-free ^btp IrP films suggests that the net electron flow in the ternary hybrid proceeds dominantly through a reductive quenching mechanism, unlike the oxidative quenching route of typical dye/TiO₂-based photolysis.     

Phosphorescent organic light‐emitting diodes using an iridium complex polymer as the solution‐processible host material

We prepared an iridium polymer complex having 2‐phenylpyridine as a η²‐cyclometallated ligand, a new OLED containing a solution‐processible iridium polymer as a host, and a phosphorescent iridium complex, [Ir(piq‐^tBu)₃] as a guest. This is the first example to apply a phosphorescent iridium complex polymer to a host material in a phosphorescent OLED. A phosphine copolymer ligand made from methyl methacrylate (MMA) and 4‐styryldiphenylphosphine can be used as an anchor polymer, which coordinates to luminescent iridium units to form a host metallopolymer easily. The OLED containing the host iridium‐complex polymer film, in which the guest, 2 wt % Ir(piq‐^tBu)₃, was doped, showed red electroluminescence as a result of efficient energy transfer from the iridium polymer host to the iridium guest. The maximum current efficiency of the device was 1.00, suggesting that a soluble iridium complex polymer can be used as a solution‐processible polymer host in EL devices. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 47: 4358–4365, 2009     

PL and EL behavior of near‐red luminescent metallopolymer easily prepared from phosphine‐containing copolymer and chloro{bis(1‐phenylisoquinolinato‐N,C2′)}iridium(III), and its monomeric analog

We successfully developed phosphorescent cyclometallated iridium‐containing metallopolymers, which are near‐red luminescent iridium complexes bearing phosphine‐containing copolymers used as polymer ligands, and investigated their photoluminescence and electroluminescence behavior. The phosphine copolymer ligand made from methyl methacrylate and 4‐styryldiphenylphosphine can be used as an anchor, which coordinates luminescent iridium units to form the metallopolymer easily. Organic light‐emitting diodes were fabricated from the metallopolymer and its nonpolymer analog, [IrCl(piq)₂PPh₃]. These complexes exhibited quite similar luminescence behavior, except for emission from the free‐phosphine‐units in the polymer side chain and their energy‐transferring properties from host to guest materials. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 47: 4366–4378, 2009     

Iridium complex grafted to 3,6‐carbazole‐alt‐tetraphenylsilane copolymers for blue electrophosphorescence

We designed a 3,6‐dibromo‐9‐hexyl‐9H‐carbazole derivative with the blue emissive iridium complex bis[2‐(4,6‐difluorophenyl)pyridyl‐N,C^2′](picolinato)iridium(III) (FIrpic) linked at the alkyl terminal. Based on this monomer, novel 3,6‐carbazole‐alt‐tetraphenylsilane copolymers grafted with FIrpic were synthesized by palladium‐catalyzed Suzuki coupling reaction, and the content of FIrpic in the polymers could be controlled by feed ratio of the monomers. The polymer films mainly show blue emission from FIrpic, and the emission intensity from the polymer backbones is much weaker compared with the doped analogues, which demonstrates an efficient energy transfer from polymeric host to covalently bonded guest. The phase separation in the polymers was suppressed, which can be identified by atomic force microscopy and designed electroluminescent (EL) devices. EL devices based on the polymers exhibited blue phosphorescence from FIrpic. The luminous efficiency of preliminary devices reached 2.3 cd/A, and the efficiency roll‐off at high current densities was suppressed. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 48: 1859–1865, 2010     

Inner-Sphere Oxygen Activation Promoting Outer-Sphere Nucleophilic Attack on Olefins

Alkoxylation and hydroxylation reactions of 1,5-cyclooctadiene (cod) in an iridium complex with alcohols and water promoted by the reduction of oxygen to hydrogen peroxide are described. The exo configuration of the OH/OR groups in the products agrees with nucleophilic attack at the external face of the olefin as the key step. The reactions also require the presence of a coordinating protic acid (such as picolinic acid (Hpic)) and involve the participation of a cationic diolefin iridium(III) complex, [Ir(cod)(pic)₂]⁺, which has been isolated. Independently, this cation is also involved in easy alkoxy group exchange reactions, which are very unusual for organic ethers. DFT studies on the mechanism of olefin alkoxylation mediated by oxygen show a low-energy proton-coupled electron-transfer step connecting a superoxide–iridium(II) complex with hydroperoxide–iridium(III) intermediates, rather than peroxide complexes. Accordingly, a more complex reaction, with up to four different products, occurred upon reacting the diolefin–peroxide iridium(III) complex with Hpic. Moreover, such hydroperoxide intermediates are the origin of the regio- and stereoselectivity of the hydroxylation/alkoxylation reactions. If this protocol is applied to the diolefin–rhodium(I) complex [Rh(pic)(cod)], free alkyl ethers ORC₈H₁₁ (R=Me, Et) resulted, and the reaction is enantioselective if a chiral amino acid, such as l -proline, is used instead of Hpic.     

Novel iridium complexes as high-efficiency yellow and red phosphorescent light emitters for organic light-emitting diodes

A series of novel biscyclometallated iridium complexes based on spirobifluorene ligands and acetyl acetonate (acac) ancillary ligands have been synthesized and characterized. Their electrochemical properties were investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV). HOMO, LUMO, and energy band gaps of all the complexes were calculated by the combination of UV-vis absorption spectra and CV results. TGA and DSC results indicated their excellent thermal stability and amorphous structure. All the iridium complexes were fabricated into organic light-emitting devices with the device configuration of ITO/PEDOT:PSS (50 nm)/PVK (50 wt %):PBD (40 wt %):Ir complex (10 wt %) (45 nm)/TPBI (40 nm)/LiF (0.5 nm)/Ca (20 nm)/Ag (150 nm). Yellow to red light emission has been achieved from the iridium complexes guest materials. Complex C1 (yellow light emission) achieved an efficiency of 36.4 cd/A (10.1%) at 198 cd/m² and complex C4 (red light emission) reached external quantum efficiency of 4.6%. The slight decrease of external quantum efficiency at high current density revealed that the triplet-triplet (T₁-T₁) annihilation was effectively suppressed by the new developed complexes.