Abstract: | Aluminum and zinc complexes of 4‐substituted 8‐hydroxyquinoline were used effectively as emissive materials in light‐emitting diodes (LED). The substituents chosen in this study were p‐methoxy‐2‐styryl, p‐diethylamino‐2‐styryl, and naphthalene‐2‐vinyl groups. Their emission spectra were red‐shifted with respect to that of aluminum tris(hydroxylquinolate) (Alq3) as a result of extending their π‐conjugation. All complexes formed amorphous glasses, which exhibited high thermal and electrical stability. Typical LED devices were fabricated by mixing the dyes with polyvinylcarbazole and spin‐coated to form thin films, which were sandwiched between ITO (indium tin oxide) and a metal electrode. These devices displayed yellow‐orange emissions with quantum efficiency ca. 0.4%. |