Novel mixed-ligand Ir(III) complexes, [Ir(L)(NwedgeC)X]n+ (L = N/\C/\N or N/\N/\N; X = Cl, Br, I, CN, CH3CN, or -CCPh; n = 0 or 1), were synthesized, where N/\CwedgeN = bis(N-methylbenzimidazolyl)benzene (Mebib) and bis(N-phenylbenzimidazolyl)benzene (Phbib), N/\N/\N = bis(N-methylbenzimidazolyl)pyridine (Mebip), and N/\C = phenylpyridine (ppy) derivatives. The X-ray crystal structures of [Ir(Phbib)(ppy)Cl] and [Ir(Mebib)(mppy)Cl] [mppy = 5-methyl-2-(2'-pyridyl)phenyl] indicate that the nitrogen atom of the ppy ligand is located trans to the coordinating carbon atom in Me- or Phbib, while the coordinating carbon atom in ppy occupies the trans position of Cl. [Ir(Mebip)(ppy)Cl]+ showed a quasireversible Ir(III/IV) oxidation wave at +1.05 V, while the Ir complexes, [Ir(Mebib)(ppy)Cl], were oxidized at +0.42 V versus Fc/Fc+. The introduction of an Ir-C bond in [Ir(Mebib)(ppy)Cl] induces a large potential shift of 0.63 V in a negative direction. Further, the oxidation potential of [Ir(Mebib)(Rppy)X] was altered by the substitution of R, R', and X groups. Compared to the oxidation potential, the first reduction potential revealed an almost constant value at -2.36 to -2.46 V for [Ir(L)(ppy)Cl] (L = Mebib and Phbib) and -1.52 V for [Ir(Mebip)(ppy)Cl. The UV-vis spectra of [Ir(Mebib)(R-ppy)X] show a clear singlet metal-to-ligand charge-transfer transition around 407 approximately 425 nm and a triplet metal-to-ligand charge-transfer transition at 498 approximately 523 nm. [Ir(Mebip)(ppy)Cl]+ emits at 610 nm with a luminescent quantum yield of Phi = 0.16 at room temperature. The phosphorescence of [Ir(Mebib)(ppy)X] was observed at 526 nm for X = CN and 555 nm for X = Cl with the high luminescent quantum yields, Phi = 0.77 approximately 0.86, at room temperature. [Ir(Phbib)(ppy)Cl] shows the emission at 559 nm with a luminescent quantum yield of Phi = 0.95, which is an unprecedentedly high value compared to those of other emissive metal complexes. Compared to the luminescent quantum yields of the Ir(ppy)2(L) derivatives and [Ir(Mebip)(ppy)Cl]+, the neutral Ir complexes, [Ir(L)(R-ppy)X] (L = Me- or Phbib), reveal very high quantum yields and large radiative rate constants (kr) ranging from 3.4 x 10(5) to 5.5 x 10(5) s(-1). The density functional theory calculation suggests that these Ir complexes possess dominantly metal-to-ligand charge-transfer and halide-to-ligand charge-transfer excited states. The mechanism for a high phosphorescence yield in [Ir(bib)(ppy)X] is discussed herein from the perspective of the theoretical consideration of radiative rate constants using perturbation theory and a one-center spin-orbit coupling approximation.

Novel neutral mixed-ligand Ir(N=C=N)(N=C)X complexes (N=C=N = 1,3-bis(3-methylpyrazolyl)benzene (bpzb), 1,5-dimethyl-2,4-bis(3-methylpyrazolyl)benzene (dmbpzb), and 1,5-difluoro-2,4-bis(3-methylpyrazolyl)benzene (dfbpzb); N=C = 2-phenyl pyridine (ppy); and X = Cl or CN) have been synthesized and characterized. An X-ray single-crystal structure of the complex Ir(dmbpzb)(ppy)Cl shows that the nitrogen atom in the ppy ligand occupied the trans position to the carbon atom in the tridentate N=C=N ligand of dmbpzb with the Ir-C bond length of 1.94(1) A, whereas the coordinating carbon atom occupied the trans position of chlorine. Electrochemical data show that the complexes exhibit an oxidation Ir(III/IV) process in the potential range of +0.5 approximately 0.9 V and two irreversible reductions at approximately -2.6 and -3.0 V against Fc (0)/Fc (+), respectively. All of the Ir(III) complexes do not emit phosphorescence at room temperature, although strong phosphorescence is exhibited at 77 K with the 0-0 transition centered at around 450 nm and lifetimes of 3-14 mus. DFT calculations indicate that the HOMOs are mainly localized on iridium 5dpi and chlorine ppi*, whereas the LUMOs are mainly from the ppy ligand pi* orbitals. The phosphorescence originates from a (3)LC state mixed with the (3)MLCT and (3)XLCT ones. Temperature-dependent lifetime measurements of Ir(dfbpzb)(ppy)Cl reveal the existence of a thermal deactivation process with a low activation energy (1720 cm (-1)) and very high frequency factor (2.3 x 10 (13) s (-1)). An unrestricted density functional theory indicates that the dd state, in which both the Ir-N (pyrazolyl) bond lengths increase considerably, exists almost at the same energy as that for the phosphorescent state. A thorough analysis based on the potential energy surfaces for the T 1 and S 0 states allows us to determine the reaction pathway responsible for this thermal deactivation. The calculated activation energies of 1600 approximately 1800 cm (-1) are in excellent agreement with the observed values.