Issue 31, 2018

Phosphorescent cationic iridium(iii) complexes bearing a nonconjugated six-membered chelating ancillary ligand: a strategy for tuning the emission towards the blue

Abstract

This study concerns an assessment of the impact of the interruption of the electronic crosstalk between the pyridine rings in the ancillary ligand on the photoluminescence properties of the corresponding iridium(III) complexes. Two new cationic Ir(III) complexes, [Ir(dFmesppy)2(pmdp)]PF6, 1, and [Ir(mesppy)2(pmdp)]PF6, 2, [where dFmesppy is 2-(2,4-difluorophenyl)-4-mesitylpyridinato, mesppy is 4-mesityl-2-phenylpyridinato and pmdp is 2,2′-(phenylmethine)dipyridine, L1] possessing sterically congested cyclometalating ligands combined with the nonconjugated diimine ancillary N^N ligand are reported and their solution-state and thin film photophysical properties analyzed by both experimental and theoretical methods. The crystal structure of 1 confirms the formation of a six-membered chelate ring by the N^N ligand and illustrates the pseudo-axial configuration of the phenyl substituents. Upon photoexcitation in acetonitrile, both complexes exhibit a ligand-centered emission profile in the blue-green region of the visible spectrum. A significant blue-shift is observed in solution at room temperature compared to the analogous reference Ir(III) complexes (R1 and R2) bearing 4,4′-di-tert-butyl-2,2′-bipyridine (dtBubpy) as the N^N ligand. The computational investigation demonstrates that the HOMO is mainly centered on the metal and on both cyclometalating aryl rings of the C^N ligands, whereas the LUMO is principally localized on the pyridyl rings of the C^N ligands. The photoluminescence quantum yield is reduced compared to the reference complexes, a probable consequence of the greater flexibility of the ancillary ligand.

Graphical abstract: Phosphorescent cationic iridium(iii) complexes bearing a nonconjugated six-membered chelating ancillary ligand: a strategy for tuning the emission towards the blue

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
03 Febr. 2018
Accepted
06 Marts 2018
First published
06 Marts 2018

Dalton Trans., 2018,47, 10569-10577

Phosphorescent cationic iridium(III) complexes bearing a nonconjugated six-membered chelating ancillary ligand: a strategy for tuning the emission towards the blue

C. Hierlinger, D. B. Cordes, A. M. Z. Slawin, D. Jacquemin, V. Guerchais and E. Zysman-Colman, Dalton Trans., 2018, 47, 10569 DOI: 10.1039/C8DT00467F

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements