Design, synthesis, and properties of a series of charged iridium(III) complexes with a neutral bidentate ligand for deep-blue phosphorescent emitter

We herein report a series of charged iridium(III) complexes with a neutral bidentate ligand for blue phosphorescent emitter. A molecular design bearing a 2-(3,5-dimethyl-1H-pyrazol-1-yl)pyridine ligand proved suitable for efficient blue emission according to the comparison of photoluminescent properties of the complexes. Its Commission Internationale de L'Eclairage x,y-coordinates (CIEx,y) in solution was estimated to be (0.17, 0.18), indicating that the complex with the ligand is a promising candidate for deep-blue emitter. We further demonstrated that this complex displays blue electroluminescence by successfully integrating it in a light-emitting device. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.