Red electrophosphorescent platinum(II) quinolinolate complexes

Abstract  

Luminescent organoplatinum complexes featuring 8-quinolinolates as chelating ligands have been synthesized and characterized. Substitution of the quinolinolate ligand has been achieved in the 5 position, where benzoyl substituents were introduced by reacting 8-hydroxyquinoline and the corresponding benzoyl chloride in a Friedel–Crafts acylation. The resulting complexes, κ²(N,C²)-(2-(4-tert-butylphenyl)pyridine)-κ²(N,O)-(5-(4-tert-butylphenyl)(8-quinolinolato-5-yl)methanone)platinum(II) and κ²(N,C²)-(3-hexyloxy-2-phenylpyridine)-κ²(N,O)-((8-quinolinolato-5-yl)phenylmethanone)platinum(II), have been investigated by nuclear magnetic resonance and infrared spectroscopy, matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry, X-ray analysis, thermal analysis, cyclic voltammetry, UV–vis absorption spectroscopy, and luminescence measurements in solution and in the solid state. The solid-state structures of the complexes were found to be dominated by π–π intermolecular interactions. Organic light-emitting devices based on the complexes and a matching host material gave red to near-infrared electroluminescence with low-onset voltages (4–5 V) and continuous wave luminance intensities exceeding 500 cd/m².