Synthesis, photo- and electro-luminescence of red-emitting Ir(III) complexes with 2-(1-naphthyl)benzothiazole and carrier transporting group-functionalized picolinate ligands

Two new red-emitting Ir(III) complexes containing 2-(1-naphthyl)benzothiazole as cyclometalated ligands and the carrier transporting group-functionalized picolinate as ancillary ligands have been successfully synthesized and characterized. The Ir(III) complexes have good thermal stability with less than 2% weight-reduction occurring at 285 °C, and exhibit strong red emissions. The doped light-emitting devices using the Ir(III) complexes as dopants were fabricated. The result indicated that the light-emitting devices fabricated by the carbazole-functionalized complex and the diaryl-1,3,4-oxadiazole-functionalized complex exhibited red emissions with a maximum brightness of 3074 and 2520 cd/m 2 at 10.7 V and a maximum current efficiency of 4.84 and 5.18 cd/A, respectively.