Theoretical study on photophysical properties of phenolpyridyl boron complexes

Organoboron complexes have potential application in organic light-emitting devices (OLEDs). Our group has synthesized four phenolpyridyl boron complexes (Inorg. Chem. 2006, 45, 2788), which can function as an electron transport materials (ETM), white and blue emitters, and exhibit high efficiency and stability. To reveal the relationship between the properties and structures of these functional materials, theoretical analysis of spectral properties and electronic structures of these complexes was systematically characterized with the B3LYP and 6-31G* basis set. The calculated absorption and emission spectra of these systems are in good agreement with the experimental ones. It is clear seen that these transitions are charge transferred along 2,6-bis(2-hydroxyphenyl)pyridyl boron moiety, and the contribution of boron atom in these compounds to the main transition orbitals is vanishingly small. The substitution of methyl and methoxyl for hydrogen does not change the absorption wavelengths and transition natures, but influences the radioactive efficiencies and electron transport properties, which are observed and discussed in detail. Furthermore, large red shifts of fluorescence are caused by replacing the hydrogen with CN or NO2 groups, which indicates that they are potential candidates as green-light-emitting materials. These results are favorable to further understanding the photophysical properties of this kind of complexes.