Synthesis, properties and Light-Emitting Electrochemical Cell (LEEC) device fabrication of cationic Ir(III) complexes bearing electron-withdrawing groups on the cyclometallating ligands

Abstract

The structure-property relationship study of a series of cationic Ir(III) complexes in the form of [Ir(C^N)2(dtBubpy)]PF6 [where dtBubpy = 4,4′-ditert-butyl-2,2′- bipyridine and C^N = cyclometallating ligand bearing an electron-withdrawing group (EWG) at C4 of the phenyl substituent, i.e. -CF3 ( 1 ), -OCF3 ( 2 ), -SCF3 ( 3 ), -SO2CF3 ( 4 )] have been investigated. The physical and optoelectronic properties of the four complexes were comprehensively characterized, including by X-ray diffraction analysis. All the complexes exhibit quasi-reversible dtBubpy-based reductions from -1.29 V to -1.34 V (vs. SCE). The oxidation processes are likewise quasi-reversible (metal+C^N ligand) and are between 1.54- 1.72 V (vs. SCE). The relative oxidation potentials follow a general trend associated with the Hammett parameter (σ) of the EWGs. Surprisingly, complex 4 bearing the strongest EWG does not adhere to the expected Hammett behavior and was found to exhibit red-shifted absorption and emission maxima. Nevertheless, the concept of introducing EWGs was found to be generally useful in blue-shifting the emission maxima of the complexes (λem = 484-545 nm) compared to that of the prototype complex [Ir(ppy)2(dtBubpy)]PF6 (where ppy = 2- phenylpyridinato) (λem = 591 nm). The complexes were found to be bright emitters in solution at room temperature (ΦPL = 45-66%) with long excited-state lifetimes (τe = 1.14-4.28 μs). The photophysical properties along with Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations suggest that the emission of these complexes originates from mixed contributions from ligand-centered (LC) transitions and mixed metal-to-ligand and ligand-to-ligand charge transfer (LLCT/MLCT) transitions, depending on the EWG. In complexes 1 , 3 and 4 the 3LC character is prominent over the mixed 3CT character while in complex 2 , the mixed 3CT character is much more pronounced, as demonstrated by DFT calculations and the observed positive solvatochromism effect. Due to the quasi-reversible nature of the oxidation and reduction waves, fabrication of light emitting electrochemical cells (LEECs) using these complexes as emitters was possible with the LEECs showing moderate efficiencies.