Synthesis of a novel tris-cyclometalated iridium(III) complex containing triarylamine unit and its application in OLEDs

The synthesis of the tris-cyclometalated iridium(III) complex [Ir(DCP)3] (HDCP = 1-(N,N-diphenyl-amino)-4-(4-chlorophenyl)-phthalazine) from hydrated iridium(III) chloride and the ligand HDCP under mild reaction conditions was described. The photophysical, electrochemical and electrophosphorescent properties of this complex were investigated. Organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) using the complex as a dopant and a blend of poly(vinylcarbazole) (PVK) with 2-tert-butylphenyl-5-biphenyl-1,3,4-oxadiazol (PBD) as a host exhibited bright red emission at 620 nm with the Commission Internationale de l’Eclairage (CIE) coordinate of (0.67, 0.32). A maximum external quantum efficiency of 13.6% photos/electron with a luminous efficiency of 7.4 cd/A at a current density of 0.73 mA/cm2, and a maximum luminance of 2941 cd/m2 at 99 mA/cm2 were obtained in the device at 4 wt% doping concentration.