Color tuning of iridium complexes for organic light-emitting diodes: The electronegative effect and π-conjugation effect

Novel red phosphorescent emitter bis(4-phenylquinazolinato-N,C2′) iridium(acetylacetonate) [(pqz)2Ir(acac)], bis(1-(1′-naphthyl)-5-methylisoquinolinato-N,C2′)iridium(acetylacetonate) [(1-mniq)2Ir(acac)] and bis(1-(2′-naphthyl)-5-methylisoquinolinato-N,C2′)iridium(acetylacetonate) [(2-mniq)2Ir(acac)] have been synthesized and fully characterized. The electronegative effect of (pqz)2Ir(acac) ligand shows almost the same influence as the extended π-conjugation effect of (2-mniq)2Ir(acac). Density functional theory (DFT) was applied to calculate the Kohn–Sham orbitals of HOMOs and LUMOs in the iridium complexes to illustrate the N(1) electronegative atom effect. Finally, lowest triplet state (T1) energies calculated by time-dependent DFT (TDDFT) were compared with the experimental electroluminescent data. The calculated data for the iridium complexes agreed fairly well with experimental data. Electroluminescent devices with a configuration of ITO/NPB/CBP:dopant/BCP/AlQ3/LiF/Al were fabricated. The device using (pqz)2Ir(acac) as a dopant showed deep-red emission with 1931 CIE (Commission International de L’Eclairage) chromaticity coordinates x = 0.70, y = 0.30.