Synthesis and electroluminescence properties of benzothiazole derivatives

Benzothiazole-based blue fluorescent materials N-(4-(benzo[d]thiazol-2-yl)phenyl)-N-phenylbenzenamine (BPPA) and N-(4-(benzo[d]thiazol-2-yl)phenyl)-N-phenylnaphthalen-1-amine (BPNA) were synthesized for use in organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). Electroluminescent device with a configuration of ITO/NPB/BPPA/BCP/Alq3/LiF/Al showed a maximum brightness of 3760 cd/m2 at 14.4 V with the CIE coordinates of (0.16, 0.16). A current efficiency of 3.01 cd/A and an external quantum efficiency of 2.37% at 20 mA/cm2 were obtained from this device. Molecules derived from BPPA and BPNA with incorporated dicyanomethylidene, which is a functional group for most red fluorescent molecules, were designed, synthesized and characterized to study the red fluorescence properties of the benzothiazole derivatives.