This article describes the synthesis and full photophysical studies at room and low temperature of a series of iridium(III) complexes incorporating an ethynyl-extended benzoxazole-based ancillary ligand. The electronic nature of the terminal end-group of the ancillary ligand was modulated by the simple introduction of electron-donating (Me, NBu 2 ) or -withdrawing (CN) groups. For all complexes, TD-DFT calculations showed that the lowest-lying transition was ligand-centered [a] Dr.Scheme 2. Synthesis of cyclometalated iridium(III) complexes 4-6 and 7-9.
Results and Discussion
SynthesisThe synthesis of the cyclometalated iridium(III) complexes 4-6 and 7-9 is presented on Scheme 2. The synthetic targets can be obtained straightforwardly in one step, starting from the previously reported 2-(2′-hydroxyphenyl)benzoxazole (HBO) ligands 1-3, [29] respectively functionalized by p-ethynyl-tolyl (R = Me), p-ethynyl-phenyl-N-dibutylamino (R = NBu 2 ) or p-ethynylbenzonitrile (R = CN) groups. The formation of the targeted cyclometalated iridium(III) complexes can be readily achieved by reacting the iridium(III) chloro-bridged dimers precursors A or B with two equivalents of HBO chelates 1-3, in the presence of an excess of potassium carbonate in a mixture of methanol and dichloromethane at 40°C (Scheme 2). Pure iridium(III) complexes were obtained in 47-72 % yield after purification on a silica gel column chromatography. All dimers were characterized with 1 H-NMR spectroscopy and high-resolution mass spectrometry (HR-MS), reflecting their molecular structure in each case. Formation of the targeted complexes 4-6 and 7-9 was notably confirmed by assessing the disappearance of the downfield H-bonded phenolic proton present in the molecular structure of starting HBO ligands 1-3 by 1 H-NMR spectroscopy. All spectra can be found in the Supporting Information (SI). As reported for other similar Ir (III) cyclometalated complexes, it is expected that complexes 4-9 adopt a distorted octahedral geometry with the nitrogen atoms of the pyridine moiety in trans position. [30] Absorption Absorption spectra of HBO ligands 1-3 and iridium(III) heteroleptic complexes 4-9, recorded in acetonitrile solution at room column chromatography on SiO 2 eluting with CH 2 Cl 2 /pet. ether to yield complexes 4-9 as yellow powders in 47-72 % yield. Complex 4: Yellow powder. 58 %. 1 H-NMR (400 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ (ppm) = 8.74 (d, 1H, CH Ar, J = 5.2 Hz), 8.14 (d, 1H, CH Ar, J = 2.4 Hz), 8.02 (d, 1H, CH Ar, J = 5.6 Hz), 7.79 (d, 1H, CH Ar, J = 8 Hz), 7.72 (d, 1H, CH Ar, J = 8 Hz), 7.51-7.60 (m, 4H, CH Ar), 7.37 (d, 1H, CH Ar, J = 8 Hz), 7.32 (d, 2H, CH Ar, J = 8 Hz), 7.23 (dd, 1H, CH Ar, J = 9 Hz), 7.05-7.08 (m, 3H, CH Ar), 6.97 (t, 1H, CH Ar, J = 6 Hz), 6.68-6.87 (m, 6H, CH Ar), 6.62 (d, 1H, CH Ar, J = 9.2 Hz), 6.40 (d, 1H, CH Ar, J = 7.6 Hz), 6.11 (d, 1H, CH Ar, J = 7.6 Hz), 6.01 (d, 1H, CH Ar, J = 8.4 Hz), 2.28 (s, 3H, CH 3 ). ESI-HRMS: calcd. for C 44 H 31 IrN 3 O 2 [M + H] 826.2043, found [M + H] 826.2052. Complex 5: Yellow powder. 72 %. 1 H-NMR (400 MHz, ...