A series of cationic heteroleptic iridium(III) complexes bearing tris-diimine ligands [Ir(phen) 2 (Rphen)] 3+ (R-phen = phenanthroline (1), 3,8-diphenylphenanthroline (2), 3,8dipyrenylphenanthroline (3), 3-phenylphenanthroline (4), 3-pyrenylphenanthroline (5), and 3,8diphenylethynylphenanthroline (6)) were synthesized and characterized. These complexes possessed phen ligand-localized 1 π,π* transitions below 300 nm, and charge transfer ( 1 CT) and/or 1 π,π* transitions between 300 and 520 nm. In 1, 2, 4, and 6, the low-energy bands were mixed 1 CT/ 1 π,π*. However, the increased π-donating ability of the pyrenyl substituent(s) in 3 and 5 split the low-energy bands into a pyrene-based 1 π,π* transition at 300-380 nm and an intraligand charge transfer ( 1 ILCT) transition at 380-520 nm. All complexes were emissive at room temperature in CH 3 CN, but the parentage of the emitting state varied depending on the R substituent(s). Complex 1 exhibited predominantly phen ligand-localized 3 π,π* emission mixed with metal-to-ligand charge transfer ( 3 MLCT) character, while the emission of 2, 4, and 6 was predominantly from the excited-state with 3 π,π*/ 3 ILCT/ 3 MLCT character. The emission from 3 and 5 was dominated by pyrene-based 3 π,π* states mixed with 3 ILCT character. The different natures of the lowest triplet excited states were also reflected by the different spectral features and *