Deep-Red Phosphorescent Iridium(III) Complexes Containing 1-(Benzo[b] Thiophen-2-yl) Isoquinoline Ligand: Synthesis, Photophysical and Electrochemical Properties and DFT Calculations

Two near-infrared phosphorescent iridium(III) complexes for the detection of GSH and photodynamic therapy

GSH is one of the most important reducing agents in biological systems. The depletion of GSH in the human body is linked to many diseases. Therefore, it is necessary to develop suitable and efficient probes for detecting GSH concentrations in real samples. In this work, we designed and synthesized two near-infrared emitting iridium(III) complex probes containing a novel ligand functionalized with an α,β-unsaturated ketone for the rapid and sensitive detection of GSH. The molecular structure of Ir2 was determined by X-ray crystallography. Due to their large Stokes shift, long luminescence lifetime and NIR emission, these probes were successfully applied in the imaging of GSH in living cells. In addition, two iridium(III) complexes have strong singlet oxygen generation ability which can be used for photodynamic therapy (PDT) upon visible light irradiation. On the basis of these findings, our iridium(III) complexes may serve as GSH probes for HeLa cell imaging and as photosensitizers for PDT.

Red-emitting heteroleptic iridium(III) complexes: photophysical and cell labeling study

Two red-emitting heteroleptic iridium(III) complexes (Ir-p and Ir-q) were synthesized and their photophysical and biological properties were analyzed. After their structures have been confirmed by several techniques, such as ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, FT-IR, UV-Vis, and MALDI TOF analyses, their luminescence behavior was investigated in ethanol and PBS (physiological medium, pH ~ 7.4) solutions. Emission spectra of both complexes are dominated by ³MLCT states at room temperature in ethanolic solution, but at 77 K the Ir-q exhibits the ³LC as the dominant emission state. The Ir-q complex shows one of the highest emission quantum yields, 11.5%, for a red emitter based on iridium(III) complexes in aerated PBS solution, with color coordinates (x;y) of (0.712;0.286). Moreover, both complexes display high potential to be used as a biological marker with excitation wavelengths above 400 nm, high water solubility (Ir-p 1838 μmol L^-1, Ir-q 7601 μmol L^-1), and distinct emission wavelengths from the biological autofluorescence. Their cytotoxicity was analyzed in CHO-k1 cells by MTT assays, and the IC₅₀ was estimated as being higher than 131 μmol L^-1 for Ir-p, and higher than 116 μmol L^-1 for Ir-q. Concentrations above 70% of viability were used to perform cell imaging by confocal and fluorescence microscopies and the results suggest that the complexes were internalized by the cell membrane and they are staining the cytoplasm region.

Near-infrared emitting iridium complexes: Molecular design, photophysical properties, and related applications

Organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) have become popular displays from small screens of wearables to large screens of televisions. In those active-matrix OLED displays, phosphorescent iridium(III) complexes serve as the indispensable green and red emitters because of their high luminous efficiency, excellent color tunability, and high durability. However, in contrast to their brilliant success in the visible region, iridium complexes are still underperforming in the near-infrared (NIR) region, particular in poor luminous efficiency according to the energy gap law. In this review, we first recall the basic theory of phosphorescent iridium complexes and explore their full potential for NIR emission. Next, the recent advances in NIR-emitting iridium complexes are summarized by highlighting design strategies and the structure-properties relationship. Some important implications for controlling photophysical properties are revealed. Moreover, as promising applications, NIR-OLEDs and bio-imaging based on NIR Ir(III) complexes are also presented. Finally, challenges and opportunities for NIR-emitting iridium complexes are envisioned.

Extending Hypochlorite Sensing from Cells to Elesclomol-Treated Tumors in Vivo by Using a Near-Infrared Dual-Phosphorescent Nanoprobe

Reactive oxygen species (ROS), when beyond the threshold, can exhaust the capacity of cellular antioxidants and ultimately trigger cell apoptosis in tumor biology. However, the roles of hypochlorite (ClO^-) in this process are much less clear compared with those of ROS, and its detection is easily obstructed by tissue penetration and endogenous fluorophores. Herein, we first synthesized a near-infrared (NIR) ratiometric ClO^- probe (Ir NP) composed of two kinds of phosphorescent iridium(III) complexes (Ir1 and Ir2) encapsulated with amphiphilic DSPE-mPEG5000. Ir NPs are dual-emissive and show obvious changes in phosphorescence intensity ratios and lifetimes of two emission bands upon exposure to ClO^-. During the ClO^- detection, ratiometric photoluminescence imaging is much more reliable over the intensity-based one for its self-calibration, while time-resolved photoluminescence imaging (TRPI) could distinguish the phosphorescence with long lifetime of Ir NPs from short-lived autofluorescence of tissues, resulting in the high accuracy of ClO^- determination. With NIR emission, a long phosphorescence lifetime, fast response, and excellent biocompatibility, Ir NPs were applied to the detection of ClO^- in vitro and in vivo by means of ratiometric phosphorescence imaging and TRPI with high signal-to noise-ratios (SNR). Importantly, we demonstrated the elevated ClO^- in elesclomol-stimulated tumors in living mice for the first time, which holds great potential for the visualization of the boost of ClO^- in anti-carcinogen-treated tumors and the further investigation of ROS-related oncotherapeutics.

Efficient yellow electroluminescence of four iridium(iii) complexes with benzo[d]thiazole derivatives as main ligands

Four yellow iridium(iii) complexes with benzo[d]thiazole derivatives as the main ligands display good device performances with a maximum current efficiency of up to 69.8 cd A⁻¹ and a maximum external quantum efficiency of up to 24.3%.

Near-IR Emitting Iridium(III) Complexes with Heteroaromatic β-Diketonate Ancillary Ligands for Efficient Solution-Processed OLEDs: Structure-Property Correlations

Three NIR-emitting neutral Ir(III) complexes [Ir(iqbt)2 (dpm)] (1), [Ir(iqbt)2 (tta)] (2), and [Ir(iqbt)2 (dtdk)] (3) based on the 1-(benzo[b]thiophen-2-yl)-isoquinolinate (iqtb) were synthesized and characterized (dpm=2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-3,5-heptanedionate; tta=2-thienoyltrifluoroacetonate; dtdk=1,3-di(thiophen-2-yl)propane-1,3-dionate). The compounds emit between λ=680 and 850 nm with high luminescence quantum yields (up to 16 %). By combining electrochemistry, photophysical measurements, and computational modelling, the relationship between the structure, energy levels, and properties were investigated. NIR-emitting, solution-processed phosphorescent organic light-emitting devices (PHOLEDs) were fabricated using the complexes. The devices show remarkable external quantum efficiencies (above 3 % with 1) with negligible efficiency roll-off values, exceeding the highest reported values for solution-processible NIR emitters.

Synthesis, Characterization, Properties and DFT Calculations of 2-(Benzo[b]thiophen-2-yl)pyridine-based Iridium(III) Complexes with Different Ancillary Ligands

A series of new cyclometalated btp-based iridium(III) complexes with three different ancillary ligands, Ir(btp)2(bozp) (3a), Ir(btp)2(btzp) (3b) and Ir(btp)2(izp) (3c) (btp = 2-(benzo[b]thiophen-2-yl)pyridine, bozp =2-(benzo[d]oxazol-2-yl)phenol, btzp =2-(benzo[d]thiazol-2-yl)phenol, izp = 2-(2 H-indazol-2-yl)phenol), have been synthesized and fully characterized. The crystal structure of 3b has been determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. A comparative study has been carried out for complexes 3a - 3c by UV-vis absorption spectroscopy, photoluminescence spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry and DFT calculations. This observation illustrates that the substitution of N or S in ancillary ligand can lead to a marked bathochromic shift of absorption and emission wavelengths. The spectroscopic characterisation of these complexes has been complemented by DFT and TD-DFT calculations, supporting the assignment of (3)MLCT/(3)LC to the lowest energy excited state.

Highly phosphorescent iridium(iii) complexes based on 2-(biphenyl-4-yl)benzo[d]oxazole derivatives: synthesis, structures, properties and DFT calculations

A series of new 2-(biphenyl-4-yl)benzo[d]oxazole based bis-cyclometalated iridium(iii) complexes have been synthesized, and their high quantum efficiency are presented.

Ir(iii) complexes designed for light-emitting devices: beyond the luminescence color array

This Perspective highlights the photophysics and recent breakthroughs in the study of emissive Ir(iii) compounds, including a personal account elucidating the role of molecular and electronic structures in controlling the photophysics of heteroleptic [Ir(N^C)₂(L^X)]⁺ complexes.