Reversibly reducible metal complexes as electron transporting materials for OLEDs

• US 7,582,365 B2
• Filed: 01/10/2005
• Issued: 09/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Universal Display Corporation
• Original Assignee: Universal Display Corporation, University of Southern California
• Inventors: Thompson, Mark E., Kwong, Raymond, Walters, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Garrett; Dawn
• Application Number:
  US11/032,941
• Publication Number:
  US 20060154106A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,695 Days
• Field of Search: 313/504, 313/506, 257/E51.044, 548/103, 548/106, 556/51, 546/6
• US Class Current: 428/690
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/14 Carrier transporting layers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/30 Coordination compounds
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/341 Transition metal complexes, e.g. Ru(II)polypyridine complexes H10K85/331 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/917 Electroluminescent

Abstract

The invention is reversibly reducible metal complexes and materials and an organic light emitting device, having an anode; a cathode; and at least one organic layer disposed between the anode and the cathode, made with the complexes of the invention. The reversibly reducible metal complexes are complexes a redox active metal center and at least one ligand; wherein; following a reduction of the complex, adding 1 extra electron to the complex, the extra electron is localized on the metal center. The complexes may function as an ETL or a host material.

Claims

1. An organic light emitting device, comprising:

an anode;

a cathode; and

at least one organic layer disposed between the anode and the cathode;

the organic layer comprising a reversibly reducible metal complex of a redox active metal center and at least one ligand;

wherein

in a reduced state, an extra electron is localized on the metal center, and wherein the metal complex is of Formula I

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the metal is a d(0) metal.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the metal is Ti(IV).

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the organic layer is an electron transporting layer.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the reversibly reducible metal complex is a host material.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein at least one ligand of the complex is a carbene.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein, in the reduced state, the ligand remains complexed to the metal.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the reversibly reducible metal complex is neutral in the resting state.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein the reversibly reducible metal complex is substantially colorless in the resting state.

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein the reversibly reducible metal complex has an extinction coefficient of no more than about 1000 M⁻

1·

cm<sup>−

1</sup>at wavelengths from about 400 nm to about 750 nm in the resting state.

11. The device according to claim 1, wherein a ligand is selected from the group consisting of

12. The device according to claim 1, wherein the reversibly reducible metal complex is selected from the group consisting of:

13. The device according to claim 1, wherein the metal complex is