Effect of phenylamine moiety on the structure, optical properties, and phosphorescence efficiencies of some red-emitting iridium(III) complexes: A theoretical study

Xue Feng Ren, Guo Jun Kang, Shou Feng Zhang, Ai Min Ren*, Wai Yeung Wong, Guijiang Zhou, Yan Ling Liu

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articlepeer-review

7 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Quantum-chemistry methods are used to investigate the effect of phenylamine chromophore on the electronic structure, optical properties, and phosphorescence efficiencies of a series of fac-iridium(III) complexes, Ir-(g0)3(1), meta-substituted Ir compounds [Ir-(g0)2-(g1)1](1a), [Ir-(g0)1-(g1)2](1b), [Ir-(g1)3](1c) and para-substituted Ir compounds [Ir-(g0)2-(g1′)1](2a), [Ir-(g0)1-(g1′)2](2b), [Ir-(g1′)3](2c), where g0 = l-phenylisoquinolinato, g1 = 4-(isoquinolin-1-yl)-N,N-diphenylbenzenamine, g1′ = 3-(isoquinolin-1-yl)-N,N-diphenylbenzenamine. The calculations show that introduction of phenylamine chromophore at meta position of phenyl ring (1a-1c) slightly changes the ground-states geometries but largely increases the energy of HOMO and decreases IP values hence improves the ability of hole injection, which is consistent with the experimental report. The introduction of diphenylamine substitutions on the para position (2a-2c) is effective for extending the π-electron delocalization, which results in strengthening metal-ligand bond and dramatically increasing the HOMO energy. More important, the 2a-2c have enhanced metal-to-ligand charge transfer 3MLCT participation in the phosphorescent spectra, decreased the singlet-triplet splitting energy (ΔES1-T1), as well as dramatically small energy differences between the highest occupied orbitals splitting (Δddocc) and large lowest unoccupied d-orbitals splitting (Δdd∗) at the both S0 and T1 geometries, these account for the quantum yield and efficiency of phosphorescence. The calculated ionization potentials (IPs), electronic affinities (EAs), and reorganization energy (λ) confirm that the hole and electron injection and transfer ability were enhanced by importing the diphenylamine. Furthermore, based on the analyses of triple energy differences between host and guest, charge carrier mobility, optical overlap, it is found that these Ir complexes maybe good guest materials in CBP. Thus, the introduction of phenylamine at para position is effective approach to obtain highly efficient red phosphorescent emitters.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)85-94
Number of pages10
JournalJournal of Photochemistry and Photobiology A: Chemistry
Volume311
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 27 Jun 2015

Scopus Subject Areas

  • General Chemistry
  • General Chemical Engineering
  • General Physics and Astronomy

User-Defined Keywords

  • DFT
  • Iridium complexes
  • Phenylamine
  • Phosphorescence OLEDs

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