Copper(i) complexes for sustainable light-emitting electrochemical cells

Four prototype heteroleptic copper(I) complexes [Cu(bpy)(pop)][PF6] (bpy = 2,2′-bipyridine, pop = bis(2-(diphenylphosphino)phenyl)ether), [Cu(phen)(pop)][PF6] (phen = 1,10-phenanthroline), [Cu(bpy)(pdpb)][PF6] (pdpb = 1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)benzene) and [Cu(phen)(pdpb)][PF6] are presented. The synthesis, X-ray structures, solution and solid-state photophysical studies, and the performance in light-emitting electrochemical cells (LECs) of these complexes are described. Their photophysical properties are interpreted with the help of density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The photophysical studies in solution and in the solid-state indicate that these copper(I) complexes show good lu…