Organic light-emitting materials based on bis(arylacetylide)platinum(II) complexes bearing substituted bipyridine and phenanthroline ligands: Photo- and electroluminescence from 3MLCT excited states

We present the synthesis and photophysical and electroluminescent properties for a series of platinum(II) α-diimine bis(arylacetylide) complexes. The molecular structures of five derivatives have been elucidated by X-ray crystallography. Intermolecular π-π interactions (between aromatic diimine and phenylacetylide moieties) are apparent in the crystal lattices of two of these. All bis(phenylacetylide) derivatives exhibit intense triplet metal-to-ligand charge transfer (MLCT) photoluminescence in the solid state and in fluid solutions at room temperature. The impact of different solvents, substituents on the diimine ligands, and complex concentrations upon their emissive behavior have been examined and demonstrates that their emission energies can be systematically modified. Application of the 3MLCT excited state of the [Pt(α-diimine)(C≡CPh) 2] materials in single-and double-layer organic light-emitting devices are described. The bis(butadiynyl) complex [Pt(4,4′-dtbpy)(C≡C-C≡CPh) 2] (dtbpy=4,4′-di-tert-butyl-2,2′-bipyridine) displays strong solid-state and solution phosphorescence at 77 and 298 K; the associated excited state is proposed to arise from both acetylenic 3ππ*(C≡C-C≡CPh) and 3MLCT [Pt → π*(diimine)] transitions. © Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH, 2001.link_to_OA_fulltex