Metal complexes

1. A compound of formula (1):

wherein

L 1 is a sub-ligand of formula (2):

which coordinates to the iridium via the two Z groups and which is bonded to V via the dotted bond;

A is the same or different in each instance and is CR 2 , O, S, or NR, wherein at least one A group is CR 2 ;

Z is the same or different in each instance and is O, S, or NR;

L 2 is a bidentate, monoanionic sub-ligand which coordinates to the iridium via one carbon atom and one nitrogen atom or via two carbon atoms;

L 3 is a bidentate, monoanionic sub-ligand which coordinates to the iridium via one carbon atom and one nitrogen atom or via two carbon atoms, or is a sub-ligand of the formula (2) which is optionally the same as or different from L 1 ;

V is a group of formula (3), wherein the dotted bonds each denote the linkage of sub-ligands L 1 , L 2 and L 3 ,

X 1 is the same or different in each instance and is CR or N;

X 2 is the same or different in each instance and is CR or N, or two adjacent X 2 groups together are NR, O, or S, so as to define a five-membered ring; or two adjacent X 2 groups together are CR or N when one of the X 3 groups in the cycle is N, so as to form a five-membered ring; with the proviso that not more than two adjacent X 2 groups in each ring are N;

X 3 is C in each instance in one cycle or one X 3 group is N and the other X 3 group in the same cycle is C, wherein the X 3 groups in the three cycles are optionally selected independently, with the proviso that two adjacent X 2 groups together are CR or N when one of the X 3 groups in the cycle is N;

R is the same or different in each instance and is H, D, F, Cl, Br, I, N(R 1 ) 2 , OR 1 , SR 1 , CN, NO 2 , COOH, C(═O)N(R 1 ) 2 , Si(R 1 ) 3 , B(OR 1 ) 2 , C(═O)R 1 , P(═O)(R 1 ) 2 , S(═O)R 1 , S(═O) 2 R 1 , OSO 2 R 1 , a straight-chain alkyl group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms or an alkenyl or alkynyl group having 2 to 20 carbon atoms or a branched or cyclic alkyl group having 3 to 20 carbon atoms, wherein the alkyl, alkenyl, or alkynyl group in each case is optionally substituted by one or more R 1 radicals and wherein one or more nonadjacent CH 2 groups are optionally replaced by Si(R 1 ) 2 , C═O, NR 1 , O, S, or CONR 1 , or an aromatic or heteroaromatic ring system which has 5 to 40 aromatic ring atoms and is optionally substituted in each case by one or more R 1 radicals; and wherein two R radicals together optionally define a ring system;

R 1 is the same or different in each instance and is H, D, F, Cl, Br, I, N(R 2 ) 2 , OR 2 , SR 2 , CN, NO 2 , Si(R 2 ) 3 , B(OR 2 ) 2 , C(═O)R 2 , P(═O)(R 2 ) 2 , S(═O)R 2 , S(═O) 2 R 2 , OSO 2 R 2 , a straight-chain alkyl group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms or an alkenyl or alkynyl group having 2 to 20 carbon atoms or a branched or cyclic alkyl group having 3 to 20 carbon atoms, wherein the alkyl, alkenyl, or alkynyl group in each case are optionally substituted by one or more R 2 radicals, wherein one or more nonadjacent CH 2 groups are optionally replaced by Si(R 2 ) 2 , C═O, NR 2 , O, S, or CONR 2 , or an aromatic or heteroaromatic ring system which has 5 to 40 aromatic ring atoms and is optionally substituted in each case by one or more R 2 radicals; and wherein two or more R 1 radicals together optionally define a ring system;

R 2 is the same or different in each instance and is H, D, F, or an aliphatic, aromatic, and/or heteroaromatic organic radical having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, wherein one or more hydrogen atoms is optionally replaced by F; and

wherein the three bidentate ligands L 1 , L 2 , and L 3 , in addition to bridge V, are also optionally connected via a further bridge so as to form a cryptate.

2. The compound of claim 1 , wherein V is selected from the group consisting of formulae (4a) through (7a):

3. The compound of claim 1 , wherein V has a structure of formula (4b′), (4c), or (5c):

4. The compound of claim 1 , wherein both A groups in sub-ligand L 1 are CR 2 .

5. The compound of claim 1 , wherein both Z groups in sub-ligand L 1 are O.

6. The compound of claim 1 , wherein L 1 has a structure of formula (2c):

wherein the dotted bond denotes the bond to V, and R is the same or different in each instance and is selected from the group consisting of H, D, OR 1 , a straight-chain alkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, optionally substituted in each case by one or more R 1 radicals, a branched or cyclic alkyl group having 3 to 10 carbon atoms, optionally substituted in each case by one or more R 1 radicals, and an aromatic or heteroaromatic ring system having 5 to 24 aromatic ring atoms optionally substituted in each case by one or more R 1 radicals.

7. The compound of claim 1 , wherein the two sub-ligands L 2 and L 3 each have one carbon atom and one nitrogen atom as coordinating atoms.

8. The compound of claim 1 , wherein the sub-ligands L 2 and L 3 are the same or different at each instance and are a structure of the formula (L-1) or (L-2):

wherein

the dotted bond represents the bond of the sub-ligand to V;

CyC is the same or different in each instance and is a substituted or unsubstituted aryl or heteroaryl group which has 5 to 14 aromatic ring atoms and coordinates in each case to the metal via a carbon atom and which is bonded to CyD via a covalent bond;

CyD is the same or different in each instance and is a substituted or unsubstituted heteroaryl group which has 5 to 14 aromatic ring atoms and coordinates to the metal via a nitrogen atom or via a carbene carbon atom and which is bonded to CyC via a covalent bond; and

wherein two or more of the optional substituents together optionally define a ring system.

9. The compound of claim 8 , wherein one of the sub-ligands L 2 and L 3 has a structure of formula (L-1) and the other of the sub-ligands L 2 and L 3 has a structure of formula (L-2).

10. The compound of claim 8 , wherein CyC is selected from the group consisting of structures of formulae (CyC-1) through (CyC-19), wherein the CyC group binds to CyD in each case at the position identified by #and to the iridium at the position identified by *, and wherein the CyD group is selected from the group consisting of structures of formulae (CyD-1) through (CyD-12), and wherein the CyD group binds to CyC in each case at the position identified by #and to the iridium at the position identified by *:

wherein

X is the same or different in each instance and is CR or N, with the proviso that not more than two symbols X per cycle are N;

W is the same or different in each instance and is NR, O, or S;

with the proviso that when the bridge V is bonded to CyC, one symbol X in the corresponding CyC group is C, to which the bridge V is bonded, and, when the bridge V is bonded to CyD, one symbol X in the corresponding CyD group is C, to which the bridge V is bonded; wherein the bond to the bridge V is via the position denoted by “o”.

11. A process for preparing the compound of claim 1 comprising reacting a free ligand with an iridium alkoxide of formula (52), an iridium ketoketonate of formula (53), an iridium halide of formula (54), or an iridium carboxylate of formula (55):

wherein

Hal is F, Cl, Br, or I; and

wherein the iridium reactants of formulae (52) through (55) are optionally in the form of a hydrate.

12. A formulation comprising at least one compound of claim 1 and at least one further compound.

13. The formulation of claim 12 , wherein the at least one further compound is a matrix material and/or a solvent.

14. An electronic device comprising at least one compound of claim 1 .

15. The electronic device of claim 14 , wherein the electronic device is selected from the group consisting of organic electroluminescent devices, organic integrated circuits, organic field-effect transistors, organic thin-film transistors, organic light-emitting transistors, organic solar cells, organic optical detectors, organic photoreceptors, organic field-quench devices, light-emitting electrochemical cells, infrared sensors, oxygen sensors, and organic laser diodes.

16. The electronic device of claim 15 , wherein the electronic device is an organic electroluminescent device, wherein the organic electroluminescent device comprises one or more emitting layers, and wherein the one or more emitting layers comprises a compound of formula (1).

17. The compound of claim 1 , wherein R 2 is a hydrocarbyl radical having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, wherein one or more hydrogen atoms is optionally replaced by F.