Efficient Dipyrrin-Centered Phosphorescence at Room Temperature from Bis-Cyclometalated Iridium(III) Dipyrrinato Complexes

A series of seven dipyrrin-based bis-cyclometalated Ir(III) complexes have been synthesized and characterized. All complexes display a single, irreversible oxidation wave and at least one reversible reduction wave. The electrochemical properties were found to be dominated by dipyrrin centered processes. The complexes were found to display room temperature luminescence with emission maxima ranging from 658 to 685 nm. Through systematic variation of the cyclometalating ligand and the meso substituent of the dipyrrin moiety, it was found that the observed room temperature emission was due to phosphorescence from a dipyrrin-centered triplet state with quantum efficiencies up to 11.5%. Bis-cyclometalated Ir(III) dipyrrin based organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) display emission at 682 nm with maximum external quantum efficiencies up to 1.0%.