Metal complexes and their use as the emitting constituent in electronic components, in particular in electroluminescent display devices

1. A compound of the formula (1)

M(L) n (L′) m (L″) o   Formula (1)

wherein substructure M(L) n of formula (1) is of the formula (2)

wherein

M is a transition metal;

D identically or differently on each occurrence is an sp 2 -hybridized heteroatom having a nonbonding electron pair coordinated to M;

C is an sp 2 -hybridized carbon atom bound to M;

E identically or differently on each occurrence is an sp 2 -hybridized carbon or nitrogen atom;

Z identically or differently on each occurrence is C(R) 2 or NR;

Cy1 identically or differently on each occurrence is a homocycle or heterocycle bound to M via an sp 2 -hybridized carbon atom and is optionally bonded to R;

Cy2 identically or differently on each occurrence is a heterocycle coordinated to M via D and is optionally bonded to R;

R identically or differently on each occurrence is H; F; CN; a straight-chain alkyl or straight-chain alkoxy group having up to 40 carbon atoms; or a branched or cyclic alkyl or branched or cyclic alkoxy group having from 3 to 40 carbon atoms;

wherein one or more nonadjacent CH 2 groups in said straight-chain alkyl, straight-chain alkoxy, branched or cyclic alkyl, or branched or cyclic alkoxy groups is optionally replaced by —R 2 C═CR 2 —, —C≡C—, Si(R 2 ) 2 , Ge(R 2 ) 2 , Sn(R 2 ) 2 , —O—, —S—, —NR 2 —, —(C═O)—, —(C═NR 2 )—, —P═O(R 2 )—, SO, SO 2 , or —CONR 2 —; and

wherein one or more H atoms is optionally replaced by F, an aromatic or heteroaromatic ring system having from 5 to 40 aromatic ring atoms, or an aryloxy or heteroaryloxy group having from 5 to 40 aromatic ring atoms, wherein said aromatic or heteroaromatic ring system, or aryloxy or heteroaryloxy group is optionally substituted by one or more nonaromatic radicals R; or a combination of two, three or four of these systems; and wherein R together with Cy1 and/or Cy2 optionally define an aliphatic, aromatic, or heteroaromatic ring system;

R 2 identically or differently on each occurrence is H or an aliphatic or aromatic hydrocarbon radical having up to 20 carbon atoms;

n is 1, 2 or 3; and

wherein

L′ and L″ are monoanionic, bidentate chelating ligands;

m and o identically or differently on each occurrence are 0, 1 or 2; and

the sum of n, m, and o is 2 or 3.

2. The compound according to claim 1 , wherein Cy1 and Cy2 are aromatic or heteroaromatic systems.

3. The compound according to claim 2 , wherein substructure M(L) n is of the formula (2a)

wherein

M on each occurrence is Mo, W, Re, Ru, Os, Rh, Ir, Pd, Pt, or Au;

D identically or differently on each occurrence is nitrogen or phosphorus;

X identically or differently on each occurrence is CR 1 , N, or P;

(X—X) or (X═X)

is NR 1 , S, or O, with the proviso that Cy1 and Cy2 are each a five-or six-membered ring; or is CR 1 , N, or P, if E in the corresponding ring is N;

E identically or differently on each occurrence is C or N, with the proviso that, if E is N, only one (X—X) in the corresponding ring is CR 1 , N or P;

R identically or differently on each occurrence is H; F; CN; a straight-chain alkyl or straight-chain alkoxy group having up to 40 carbon atoms; or a branched or cyclic alkyl or branched or cyclic alkoxy group having from 3 to 40 carbon atoms;

wherein one or more nonadjacent CH 2 groups in said straight-chain alkyl, straight-chain alkoxy, branched or cyclic alkyl, or branched or cyclic alkoxy groups is optionally replaced by —R 2 C═CR 2 —, —C≡C—, Si(R 2 ) 2 , Ge(R 2 ) 2 , Sn(R 2 ) 2 , —O—, —S—, —NR 2 —, —(C═O)—, —(C═NR 2 )—, —P═O(R 2 )—, SO, SO 2 , or —CONR 2 —; and

wherein one or more H atoms is optionally replaced by F, an aromatic or heteroaromatic ring system having from 5 to 40 aromatic ring atoms, or an aryloxy or heteroaryloxy group having from 5 to 40 aromatic ring atoms, wherein said aromatic or heteroaromatic ring system, or aryloxy or heteroaryloxy group is optionally substituted by one or more nonaromatic radicals R; or a combination of two, three or four of these systems; wherein R together with Cy1 and/or Cy2 optionally defines an aliphatic, aromatic, or heteroaromatic ring system; and

wherein R together with X or R 1 optionally defines a ring system;

R 1 identically or differently on each occurrence is H; F; Cl; Br; I; OH; NO 2 ; CN;

N(R 2 ) 2 ; a straight-chain alkyl, straight-chain alkoxy, or straight-chain thioalkoxy group having up to 40 carbon atoms; or a branched or cyclic alkyl, branched or cyclic alkoxy, or branched or cyclic thioalkoxy group having from 3 to 40 carbon atoms; wherein one or more nonadjacent CH 2 groups of said straight-chain alkyl, straight-chain alkoxy, straight-chain thioalkoxy, branched or cyclic alkyl, branched or cyclic alkoxy, or branched or cyclic thioalkoxy group is optionally replaced by —R 2 C═CR 2 —, —C≡C—, Si(R 2 ) 2 , Ge(R 2 ) 2 , Sn(R 2 ) 2 , —O—, —S—, —NR 2 —, —(C═O)—, —(C═NR 1 )—, —P═O(R 2 )—, SO, SO 2 , —COOR 2 —, or —CONR 2 —; and wherein one or more H atoms is optionally replaced by F; Cl; Br; I; CN; an aromatic or heteroaromatic ring system having from 5 to 40 aromatic ring atoms; or an aryloxy or heteroaryloxy group having from 5 to 40 aromatic ring atoms, and wherein said aromatic or heteroaromatic ring system or aryloxy or heteroaryloxy group is optionally substituted by one or more nonaromatic radicals R 1 ; or a combination of two, three or four of these systems; and wherein a plurality of R 1 , either on the same ring or on different rings, or R 1 and R and/or R 2 optionally define a monocyclic or polycyclic, aliphatic, aromatic or heteroaromatic ring system.

4. The compound according to claim 3 , wherein at least one substructure M(L) n identically or differently on each occurrence is of the formula (2b)

and wherein said compound optionally further comprises, identically or differently on each occurrence, a substructure M(L′) m of the formula (3)

wherein

X identically or differently on each occurrence is CR 1 , N or P; or

(X—X) or (X═X)

are NR 1 , S or O;

A identically or differently on each occurrence is —CR 1 ═CR 1 —, —N═CR 1 —, —P═CR 1 —, —N═N—, —P═N—, NR 1 , PR 1 , O, S, or Se.

5. The compound according to claim 1 , wherein substructure M(L) n , is of the formula (2c), of the formula (2d) or of the formula (2e)

wherein Y, identically or differently on each occurrence, is a bivalent group selected from the group consisting of —C(R 1 ) 2 —, —C(═O)—, —C[═C(R 1 ) 2 ]—, —C(R 1 ) 2 —C(R 1 ) 2 —, —C(═O)—O—, —C(═O)—N(R 1 )—, —C(R 1 ) 2 —C(R 1 ) 2 —C(R 1 ) 2 —, —C(R 1 ) 2 —O—C(R 1 ) 2 —, —C(R 1 ) 2 —N(R 1 )—, —C(R 1 )═C(R 1 )—, —C(R 1 )═N—, —O—, —S—, —N(R 1 )—, —P(R 1 )—, P(═O)(R 1 )—, and —B(R 1 )—.

6. The compound according to claim 1 , wherein L″ is selected from the group consisting of 1,3-diketonates derived from 1,3-diketones, 3-ketonates derived from 3-keto esters, carboxylates derived from aminocarboxylic acids, salicyliminates derived from salicylimines, and borates of nitrogen-containing heterocycles.

7. The compound according to claim 1 , wherein M is Rh, Ir, Pd, or Pt.

8. The compound according to claim 1 , wherein n is 2 or 3.

9. The compound according to claim 1 , wherein o is 0.

10. The compound according to claim 1 , wherein Z is C(R) 2 .

11. The compound according to claim 1 , wherein D is N.

12. The compound according to claim 3 , wherein X is CR 1 or N.

13. The compound according to claim 5 , wherein Y is —C(R 1 ) 2 —, —C(═O)—, —C(R 1 ) 2 —C(R 1 ) 2 —, —C(R 1 ) 2 —N(R 1 )—, —C(R 1 )═C(R 1 )—, —C(R 1 )═N—, —O—, —S—, or —N(R 1 )—.

14. The compound according to claim 1 , wherein said compound is selected from the group consisting of structures (1) to (141)

and wherein said compound is optionally substitued by R 1 , wherein

R 1 identically or differently on each occurrence is H; F; Cl; Br; I; OH; NO 2 ; CN; N(R 2 ) 2 ; a straight-chain alkyl, straight-chain alkoxy, or straight-chain thioalkoxy group having up to 40 carbon atoms; or a branched or cyclic alkyl, branched or cyclic alkoxy, or branched or cyclic thioalkoxy group having from 3 to 40 carbon atoms; wherein one or more nonadjacent CH 2 groups of said straight-chain alkyl, straight-chain alkoxy, straight-chain thioalkoxy, branched or cyclic alkyl, branched or cyclic alkoxy, or branched or cyclic thioalkoxy group is optionally replaced by —R 2 C═CR 2 —, —C≡C—, Si(R 2 ) 2 , Ge(R 2 ) 2 , Sn(R 2 ) 2 , —O—, —S—, —NR 2 —, —(C═O)—, —(C═NR 1 )—, —P═O(R 2 )—, SO, SO 2 , —COOR 2 —, or —CONR 2 —; and wherein one or more H atoms is optionally replaced by F; Cl; Br; I; CN; an aromatic or heteroaromatic ring system having from 5 to 40 aromatic ring atoms; or an aryloxy or heteroaryloxy group having from 5 to 40 aromatic ring atoms, and wherein said aromatic or heteroaromatic ring system or aryloxy or heteroaryloxy group is optionally substituted by one or more nonaromatic radicals R 1 ; or a combination of two, three or four of these systems; and wherein a plurality of R 1 , either on the same ring or on different rings, or R 1 and R and/or R 2 optionally define a monocyclic or polycyclic, aliphatic, aromatic or heteroaromatic ring system.

15. A process for preparing compounds according to claim 1 comprising the step of reacting the corresponding free ligands with metal alkoxides of formula (4), metal ketoketonates of formula (5), or mononuclear or multinuclear metal halides of formulae (6), (7), or (8)

wherein

M and R 2 are as defined in claim 1 ,

p is 1 or 2; and

Hal is F, Cl, Br, or I.

16. A process for preparing compounds according to claim 1 comprising the step of reacting the corresponding free ligands with metal compounds which bear both alkoxide and/or halide and/or hydroxy and also ketoketonate radicals.

17. A conjugated, partly conjugated, or nonconjugated oligomer, polymer, or dendrimer comprising one or more compounds according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of R or R 1 is a bond to said oligomer, polymer, or dendrimer.

18. The oligomer, polymer, or dendrimer according to claim 17 , wherein said oligomer, polymer, or dendrimer is selected from the group consisting of polyfluorenes, polyspirobifluorenes, poly-para-phenylenes, polydihydrophenanthrenes, polyphenanthrenes, polyindenofluorenes, polycarbazoles, polyketones, polysilanes, polythiophenes, and copolymers thereof.

19. The oligomer, polymer, or dendrimer according to claim 17 , wherein said one or more compounds according to claim 1 is incorporated into the side chain or into the main chain of said oligomer, polymer, or dendrimer or represent branching points of the polymer chains or end groups of the polymer chains.

20. An electronic component comprising one or more compounds according to claim 1 .

21. An electronic component comprising one or more oligomers, polymers, or dendrimers according to claim 17 .

22. The electronic components according to claim 21 selected from the group consisting of organic light-emitting diodes, polymeric light-emitting diodes, organic field effect transistors, organic thin film transistors, organic integrated circuits, organic solar cells, organic light-emitting transistors, organic field quench devices, light-emitting electrochemical cells, and organic laser diodes.