Electrochemiluminescence of cyclometalated iridium (III) complexes

The advent of highly emissive cyclometalated iridium complexes has injected new vigour into the field of electrochemiluminescence (ECL), with these materials now beginning to challenge the dominance of ruthenium diimine complexes for ECL applications. The promise of iridium-based electrochemiluminophores lies not only in their enhanced photophysical properties but in the relative ease with which their emission wavelengths and redox potentials can be tailored. However, innovative approaches and better understanding are required to tackle the challenges which sometimes arise associated with their susceptibility to quenching, especially in aqueous media.