Synthesis, structure, optical absorption, emission and electroluminescence properties of a new blue emitting Al complex, namely, bis-(2-amino-8-hydroxyquinolinato), acetylacetonato Al(III) are reported. Multilayer OLED using the Al complex showed blue emission at 465 nm, maximum brightness of ∼ 425 cd/m² and maximum current efficiency of 0.16 cd/A. Another multilayer OLED using the Al complex doped with phosphorescent Ir complex showed `white’ light emission, CIE coordinate (0.41, 0.35), maximum brightness of ∼ 970 cd/m² and maximum current efficiency of 0.53 cd/A.

Five heteroleptic, cyclometalated (C^∧N) Iridium(III) complexes of acetylacetone (acac) and 1-phenyl-isoquinoline (piq) derivatives, Ir(acac)(piq) ₂, Ir(acac)(2,4-difluoro-piq) ₂, Ir(acac)(4-trifluoromethylpiq) ₂, Ir(acac)(4-N,N-dimethyl-piq) ₂, Ir(acac)(4-acetyl-piq) ₂, were synthesized and characterized. The ((C^∧N) ₂ Ir(acac) complexes in toluene showed phosphorescence (λ_max = 598 nm to 658 nm) with quantum yields (0.1 to 0.32) and microsecond lifetimes (0.43 to 1.9 μs). The complexes were non-luminescent in thin films due to self-quenching but luminescent when lightly doped (5%) in a host organic material, 4,4' -Bis(Ncarbazolyl)- 1,1' -biphenyl (CBP). The HOMO levels determined using cyclic voltammetric oxidation potentials were in the range−5.48 to−5.80 eV. Electroluminescence properties and performance of the Ir complexes dopedin CBP (active layer) were studied in a multilayer (ITO/F4TCNQ/TPD/doped CBP/BCP/LiF/Al) organic light emitting device (OLED). The electroluminescense (EL) spectra of the device matched with the phosphorescent spectra of the Ir complexes. The turn-on voltage at ∼4.5 V, maximum brightness of 7600 cd/m² and current efficiency of ∼7.0 cd/A at a brightness of ∼100 cd/m² indicate that these are promising OLED materials.