Organic element for electroluminescent devices

1. An electroluminescent device comprising a light-emitting layer containing a light emitting phosphorescent material that contains an organometallic complex comprising a metal selected from the group consisting of Ir, Rh, Ru, Os, Pt, and Pd and an indole compound wherein the metal is fully complexed by indole ligands.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the light-emitting layer contains a light emitting compound of Formula (1a)

wherein:

R 1 and R 2 represent independently selected substituent groups, provided that R 1 and R 2 may form a ring group, and

R 3 and R 4 represent independently selected substituent groups.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein R 1 and R 2 join together to form an aromatic ring.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the light-emitting layer contains a light emitting compound of Formula (1b),

wherein:

R 3 , and R 4 represent independently selected substituent groups; and

Ar represents a substituted or unsubstituted aromatic group.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein Ar represents a substituted benzene ring.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein the light-emitting layer contains a light emitting compound of Formula (2)

wherein:

M is a coordinated metal selected from the group consisting of Ir, Rh, Pt, and Pd;

m is 3 when M is Ir or Rh and m is 2 when M is Pt or Pd;

R 1 and R 2 represent independently selected substituent groups, provided that R 1 and R 2 may form a ring group;

R 3 and R 4 represent independently selected substituent groups; and

Ar represents a substituted or unsubstituted aromatic group.

7. The device of claim 6 wherein R 1 and R 2 join together to form an aromatic ring.

8. The device of claim 1 wherein the light-emitting material is a phosphorescent material compound disposed in a host material.

9. The device of claim 8 wherein the phosphorescent material is present in an amount of up to 15 wt % based on the host.

10. The device of claim 1 wherein the light-emitting material is part of a polymer.

11. The device of claim 1 including a means for emitting white light.

12. The device of claim 11 including a light filter.

13. The device of claim 1 additionally including a fluorescent light emitting material.

14. A display device comprising the electroluminescent device of claim 1 .

15. An area lighting device comprising the electroluminescent device of claim 1 .

16. A process for emitting light comprising applying a potential across the device of claim 1 .

17. An electroluminescent device comprising a light-emitting layer containing a light emitting phosphorescent material that contains an organometallic complex comprising a metal selected from the group consisting of Ir, Rh, Ru, Os, Pt, and Pd and an indole ligand wherein the indole contains two substituents in the 3-position each selected from aryl and alkyl components, each of 2–12 carbon atoms wherein the complex is represented by formula (3):

wherein:

M is a coordinated metal selected from the group consisting of Ir, Rh, Os, Pt, and Pd;

m is 1, 2 or 3 when M is Ir, Rh or Os and m is 1 or 2 when M is Pt or Pd;

L represents an independently selected ligand group;

w is 0–4 as necessary in order to satisfy a 6 coordination sites when M is Ir, Rh, or Os, and w is 0–2 as necessary in order to satisfy 4 coordination sites when M is Pt or Pd;

R 1 and R 2 represent independently selected substituent groups, provided that R 1 and R 2 may form a ring group;

Ar represents a substituted or unsubstituted aromatic group; and

R 5 and R 6 independently represent aryl groups or alkyl groups, each of 2–12 carbon atoms.

18. The device of claim 17 wherein R 1 and R 2 join together to form an aromatic ring, M represents Ir, and m is 3.

19. An electroluminescent device comprising a light-emitting layer containing a light emitting phosphorescent material that contains an organometallic complex comprising a metal selected from the group consisting of Ir, Rh, Os, Ru, Pt, and Pd and an isoindole ligand.

20. The device of claim 19 wherein the light-emitting layer contains a light emitting compound of Formula (4)

wherein:

M is a coordinated metal selected from the group consisting of Ir, Rh, Os, Pt, and Pd;

m is 1, 2 or 3 when M is Ir, Os or Rh and m is 1 or 2 when M is Pt or Pd;

L represents an independently selected ligand group;

w is 0–4 as necessary in order to satisfy a 6 coordination sites when M is Ir, or Rh, and w is 0–2 as necessary in order to satisfy 4 coordination sites when M is Pt or Pd;

R 1 and R 2 represent independently selected substituent groups, provided that R 1 and R 2 form a ring group;

R 3 and R 4 represent independently selected substituent groups; and

Ar represents a substituted or unsubstituted aromatic group.

21. The device of claim 20 wherein R 1 and R 2 join together to form an aromatic ring, M represents Ir and m is 3.

22. The device of claim 19 wherein the organometallic complex is fully complexed by isoindole ligands.

23. The device of claim 19 wherein the organometallic complex comprises Ir.

24. The device of claim 19 wherein the organometallic complex includes acetylacetonate.

25. A display device comprising the electroluminescent device of claim 19 .

26. An organometallic complex comprising a metal selected from the group consisting of Ir, Rh, Ru, Pt, and Pd and an indole compound wherein the metal is fully complexed with a plurality of indole ligands, wherein the complex is represented by Formula (2)

wherein:

M is a coordinated metal selected from the group consisting of Ir, Rh, Pt, and Pd;

m is 3 when M is Ir or Rh and m is 2 when M is Pt or Pd;

R 1 and R 2 represent independently selected substituent groups, provided that R 1 and R 2 may form a ring group;

R 3 and R 4 represent independently selected substituent groups; and

Ar represents a substituted or unsubstituted aromatic group.

27. An organometallic complex comprising a metal selected from the group consisting of Ir, Rh, Ru, Pt, and Pd and an indole compound wherein the indole contains two substituents in the 3-position selected from aryl and alkyl components, each of 2–12 carbon atoms.

28. An organometallic complex comprising a metal selected from the group consisting of Ir, Rh, Ru, Pt, and Pd and an isoindole ligand, wherein the complex is represented by Formula (4)

wherein:

M is a coordinated metal selected from the group consisting of Ir, Rh, Os, Pt, and Pd;

m is 1, 2 or 3 when M is Ir, Os or Rh and m is 1 or 2 when M is Pt or Pd;

L represents an independently selected ligand group;

w is 0–4 as necessary in order to satisfy a 6 coordination sites when M is Ir, or Rh, and w is 0–2 as necessary in order to satisfy 4 coordination sites when M is Pt or Pd;

R 1 and R 2 represent independently selected substituent groups, provided that R 1 and R 2 may form a ring group;

R 3 and R 4 represent independently selected substituent groups; and

Ar represents a substituted or unsubstituted aromatic group.