Facile one-pot synthetic methods for new alkoxo-functionalized heteroleptic cyclometalated Ir(III) compounds have been developed. Nucleophilic substitution of fluorine atoms in [(dfpypy)(2)Ir(mu-Cl)](2) (dfpypy = 2',6'-difluoro-2,3'bipyridine) by a methoxyethanol in the presence of an ancillary ligand led to the formation of the new alkoxo-fiinctionalized heteroleptic Ir(III) compounds Ir[(RO)(2)pypy](2)(N<^>O) in good yields. These compounds have a distorted octahedral geometry around the Ir(III) center with an N,N-trans-meridional configuration. They exhibit intense blue to yellow phosphorescence (lambda(max) = 453-558 nm) with moderate to excellent quautum efficiencies (0.22 to 0.96). Comparative studies on the fluoro analogues, Ir(dfpypy)(2)(N<^>O), were also carried out. Our investigation established that the substitution of a fluorine atom by an alkoxy chain can greatly improve the solubility of the compounds in common organic solvents without significantly altering the emission color and efficiencies, making alkoxy-functionalized Ir(III) compounds potential candidates for use in solution-processable phosphorescence OLEDs.
Facile one-pot synthetic methods for new alkoxo-functionalized heteroleptic cyclometalated Ir(III) compounds have been developed. Nucleophilic substitution of fluorine atoms in [(dfpypy)(2)Ir(mu-Cl)](2) (dfpypy = 2',6'-difluoro-2,3'bipyridine) by a methoxyethanol in the presence of an ancillary ligand led to the formation of the new alkoxo-fiinctionalized heteroleptic Ir(III) compounds Ir[(RO)(2)pypy](2)(N<^>O) in good yields. These compounds have a distorted octahedral geometry around the Ir(III) center with an N,N-trans-meridional configuration. They exhibit intense blue to yellow phosphorescence (lambda(max) = 453-558 nm) with moderate to excellent quautum efficiencies (0.22 to 0.96). Comparative studies on the fluoro analogues, Ir(dfpypy)(2)(N<^>O), were also carried out. Our investigation established that the substitution of a fluorine atom by an alkoxy chain can greatly improve the solubility of the compounds in common organic solvents without significantly altering the emission color and efficiencies, making alkoxy-functionalized Ir(III) compounds potential candidates for use in solution-processable phosphorescence OLEDs.