The synthesis and luminescent properties of trichromatic iridium complexes based on 2-(4-bromophenyl)-1-hydrogen-benzimidazole

•Three novel trichromatic iridium complexes based on 2-(4-bromophenyl)-1-hydrogen-benzimidazole are obtained and the phosphorescent quantum efficiencies for Ir(pbi)3, (pbi)2Ir(acac) and (pbi)2Ir(phen) in CH2Cl2 solution are found to be 9.35, 10.63 and 25.14 %.•Excited-state lifetimes for these iridium complexes are in the microsecond regime (0.130.55us), the faster decay times suggest that the emitting state has triplet character with strong spin–orbital coupling.•The trichromatic iridium complexes not only can be directly used as luminescent materials, but also can be used as reactive monomers for the development of trichromatic polymer luminescent materials owing to the bromine atom in the structure by the Suzuki polycondensation.