Emissive iridium(III) diimine complexes formed by double cyclometalation of coordinated triphenylphosphite.

We report on the synthesis of a new series of iridium(III) complexes functionalized with various diimine chromophores, together with a facially coordinated dicyclometalated phosphite chelate and a monodentate anionic ancillary. This conceptual design presents a novel strategy in obtaining a new class of iridium(III) diimine complexes without employment of traditional nitrogen-containing polyaromatic cyclometalates. Additionally, we discuss the basic charactersistics of the ground and lower-lying excited states involved, as documented by crystal structural, photophysical studies, and density functional theory calculations.