Cyclometallated platinum(ii) complexes containing NHC ligands: synthesis, characterization, photophysics and their application as emitters in OLEDs

Abstract

A series of square planar [Pt(N^C)(NHC)L] complexes containing cyclometallated N^C ligands (phenylpyridine and benzoquinoline) and N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) – N^C = 2-phenylpyridine, 7,8-benzoquinoline; NHC = 1,3-dibenzylbenzimidazolium, 1,3-diethylbenzimidazolium, 1,3-dibenzylimidazolium; L = Cl, Br, –C₂Ph – have been synthesized in moderate to good yields. The complexes obtained were characterized using chemical analysis, MS-ESI spectrometry, NMR spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography. The complexes display moderate to strong phosphorescence in solution (Q.Y. 0.3–7.9%) and in the solid state (Q.Y. 2.7–16.0%), which is related to metal modulated intraligand π–π* transitions located at the aromatic system of cyclometallated ligands with some contribution of the MLCT excited state. Emission lifetimes fall in the range of 0.2–1.5 μs in solution and amount up to 13 μs in the solid state. Analysis of the spectroscopic data together with the density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) calculations clearly support this assignment and show negligible contribution of the auxiliary ligands to the emissive excited states. The compounds obtained were also used to prepare organic light emitting diode (OLED) devices, which display good luminance efficiency emitting in the green area of the visible spectrum.