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Tuning the Energy Level and Photophysical and Electroluminescent Properties of Heavy Metal Complexes by Controlling the Ligation of the Metal with the Carbon of the Carbazole Unit†

  1. C. L. Yang1,
  2. X. W. Zhang1,
  3. H. You2,
  4. L. Y. Zhu3,
  5. L. Q. Chen1,
  6. L. N. Zhu1,
  7. Y. T. Tao1,
  8. D. G. Ma2,
  9. Z. G. Shuai3,
  10. J. G. Qin1

Article first published online: 24 JAN 2007

DOI: 10.1002/adfm.200600663

Issue

Advanced Functional Materials

Advanced Functional Materials

Volume 17, Issue 4, pages 651–661, March, 2007

Additional Information

How to Cite

Yang, C., Zhang, X., You, H., Zhu, L., Chen, L., Zhu, L., Tao, Y., Ma, D., Shuai, Z. and Qin, J. (2007), Tuning the Energy Level and Photophysical and Electroluminescent Properties of Heavy Metal Complexes by Controlling the Ligation of the Metal with the Carbon of the Carbazole Unit. Advanced Functional Materials, 17: 651–661. doi: 10.1002/adfm.200600663

Author Information

  1. 1

    Department of Chemistry, Hubei Key Lab on Organic and Polymeric Optoelectronic Materials, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, P.R. China

  2. 2

    State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, P.R. China

  3. 3

    CAS Key Laboratory of Organic Solids, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100080, P.R. China

  1. †

    This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Project Nos. 20371036 and 20474047), the Program for New Century Excellent Talents in University, the Ministry of Education of China, the Ministry of Science and Technology of China through the 973 program (Grant No. 2002CB613406).

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 22 FEB 2007
  2. Article first published online: 24 JAN 2007
  3. Manuscript Revised: 18 SEP 2006
  4. Manuscript Received: 24 JUL 2006

Funded by

  • National Natural Science Foundation of China. Grant Numbers: 20371036, 20474047
  • Program for New Century Excellent Talents in University, the Ministry of Education of China, the Ministry of Science and Technology of China through the 973 program. Grant Number: 2002CB613406

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Keywords:

  • Electroluminescence;
  • Light-emitting diodes, organic (OLEDs);
  • Metal complexation;
  • Photoluminescence

Graphical Abstract

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Carbazole-based metal complexes exhibiting emission from blue-green to red have been designed and prepared. Their energy levels, photoluminescence, and electroluminescence are tuned by controlling the ligation of the metal (IrIII or PtII) with the carbon atom at the 2 or 3 position of the carbazole unit. Highly efficient OLED devices using the complexes as phosphorescent dopants have been achieved (see figure).

Abstract

Four novel IrIII and PtII complexes with cyclometalated ligands bearing a carbazole framework are prepared and characterized by elemental analysis, NMR spectroscopy, and mass spectrometry. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies of complexes 1, 3, and 4 reveal that the 3- or 2-position C atom of the carbazole unit coordinates to the metal center. The difference in the ligation position results in significant shifts in the emission spectra with the changes in wavelength being 84 nm for the Ir complexes and 63 nm for the Pt complexes. The electrochemical behavior and photophysical properties of the complexes are investigated, and correlate well with the results of density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Electroluminescent devices with a configuration of ITO/NPB/CBP:dopant/BCP/AlQ3/LiF/Al can attain very high efficiencies.

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