Two
tetradentate Pt(II) complexes with peripheral bulky-group hindrances
[Pt(pzpyOczpy-B1) and Pt(pzpyOczpy-B2)] were synthesized and fully
investigated for their structural and blue phosphorescent properties.
Both X-ray crystallography and computational simulation revealed that
bulky substituents incorporated into the C-pyrazolyl and C-pyridinyl
positions lie out of the cyclometallated plane, thus alleviating the
intramolecular distortions as well as reducing the intermolecular
interaction in the solid state. In dichloromethane, their emission
peaks at 460 nm with a narrow full width at half-maximum (FWHM) of
less than 50 nm, and the photoluminescent quantum yields are over
95% with short decay lifetimes (<5 μs). Solution-processed
blue devices are fabricated based on the two complexes. Device A based
on Pt(pzpyOczpy-B1) shows excellent electroluminescent performances
with the maximum current efficiency, power efficiency, and external
quantum efficiency of 47.0 cd/A, 24.6 lm/W, and 22.9%, respectively.
The understanding on inert peripheral hindrances provides an effective
approach to designing Pt(II) complexes for high-quality blue phosphorescent
emitters.