Electrogenerated chemiluminescence from polymer-bound ortho-metallated iridium(III) systems

Three ortho-metallated iridium complexes whose emission maxima fall in different regions of the electromagnetic spectrum were bound in either Nafion or poly(9-vinylcarbazole) and their electrogenerated chemiluminescence (ECL) reported. The reaction of F(Ir)pic [bis(3,5-difluoro-2-(2-pyridyl)phenyl-(2- carboxypyridyl)-iridium III] with the oxidative-reductive co-reactant tri-n-propylamine (TPrA) resulted in ECL when the iridium complex was bound in Nafion. No significant ECL was observed for (btp)₂Ir(acac) (bis[2,(2′-benzothienyl)-pyridinato-N,C3′](acetylacetonate)Ir(III)), and Ir(ppy)₃ (where ppy = 2-phenylpyridine) under these conditions. However, all three compounds displayed ECL with TPrA when bound in poly(9-vinylcarbazole).