Polymerizable cationic iridium(III) complexes exhibiting color tunable light emission and their corresponding conducting metallopolymers

Cyclometalated iridium(III) complexes have been synthesized for use in a variety of photophysical applications, including polymer light emitting diodes (PLEDs). A series of new complexes with one electrochemically polymerizable ligand and two phenylpyridine(ppy)-based ligands have been prepared: [Ir(ppy)2L][PF6](1), [Ir(F-mppy)2L][PF6](2), and [Ir(Br-mppy)2L][PF6](3), where L = 3,8-bis(2,2′-bithien-5-yl)-1,10-phenanthroline. The ancillary ppy ligands can be easily varied synthetically to tune emission color of the monomer from blue–green to red. The solid state structure of complex 1 has been obtained by single crystal X-ray crystallography. Conducting polymer materials have been prepared by electropolymerization of monomers and were characterized through XPS analysis and spectroscopic studies.

Graphical abstractA new series of cationic cyclometalated iridium(III) complexes with an electropolymerizable ligand and two phenylpyridine(ppy)-based ligands have been synthesized and characterized. These complexes exhibit color tunable photophysical properties and can be easily electropolymerized into conducting metallopolymers.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide