Photofunctional triplet excited states of cyclometalated Ir(iii) complexes: beyond electroluminescence

The development of cyclometalated Ir(III) complexes has enabled important breakthroughs in electroluminescence because such complexes permit the efficient population of triplet excited states that give rise to luminescent transitions. The triplet states of Ir(III) complexes are advantageous over those of other transition metal complexes in that their electronic transitions and charge-transfer characteristics are tunable over wide ranges. These favorable properties suggest that Ir(III) complexes have significant potential in a variety of photofunctions other than electroluminescence. In this critical review, we describe recent photonic applications of novel Ir(III) complexes. Ir(III) complexes have been shown…