Blue-emitting Ir(iii) phosphors with ancillary 4,6-difluorobenzyl diphenylphosphine based cyclometalate

Treatment of difluorobenzyldiphenylphosphine with the Ir(III) dimer [(dfppy)2Ir(mu-Cl)]2 gives (N,N)-trans-[Ir(dfppy)2(dfbdpH)Cl], followed by skeletal isomerization to form its (N,N)-cis analogue, and then the fully cyclometalated complex [Ir(dfppy)2(dfbdp)]; the last complex and its derivative are suitable for fabrication of true-blue phosphorescent OLEDs.