Water-soluble iridium phosphorescent complexes for OLED applications

Newly prepared water-soluble iridium phosphorescent complexes, trans-[Ir(ppy)(PAr<sub>3</sub>)<sub>2</sub>(H)L]<sup>0,+</sup> (ppy = bidentate 2-phenylpyridinato anionic ligand; L= Cl (1), CO (2), CN- (3); H being trans to the nitrogen of ppy ligand; PAr<sub>3</sub> (TPPTS) = P(m-C<sub>6</sub>H<sub>4</sub>SO<sub>3</sub>Na)<sub>3</sub>), have been synthesized and characterized. Those complexes containing water-soluble phosphine ligands can emit any color region as altering cyclometalated ligands in aqueous media with high quantum efficiencies. Even though these water-soluble phosphorescent iridium complexes can be the sensing probe for toxic CO gas and CN anion, they will be capable of promising materials in the solution processible OLED applications.