Luminescent Neutral Cu(I) Complexes: Synthesis, Characterization and Application in Solution-Processed OLED

Four novel neutral copper(I) compounds were prepared, based on the chelating phosphine bis(2-(diphenylphosphino)phenyl)ether, (DPEPhos), and a series of nitrogen-containing heterocycles as ancillary ligands. The optical properties can be tuned according to the ancillary ligand and their emissions at room temperature in aprotic solvent (CH2Cl2) go from greenish blue to orange. Their photoluminescence in solid state is particularly attractive and make their employment in opto-electronic devices very appealing. In particular, the low-cost preparation method of solution-processed light emitting devices is suitable for copper(I) complexes. In order to choose a suitable device architecture, the electrochemical characteristics were investigated and the frontier orbitals values were determined. Preliminary results on solution-processed OLED are presented. (C) 2016 The Electrochemical Society. All rights reserved.