Mononuclear Silver Complexes for Efficient Solution and Vacuum‐Processed OLEDs

Carbene metal amides are a new class of highly efficient light-emitting molecules based on a linear donor-metal-acceptor geometry. Here the synthesis, structure, and photo- and electroluminescence of carbene silver carbazolato complexes, (L-Ad)Ag(Cz) [L-Ad = adamantyl-substituted cyclic (alkyl)(amino)carbene; Cz = carbazolate (1) and 3,6-(t)Bu(2)Cz (2)], are reported. They display green emission with photoluminescence quantum yields of up to 74%. Efficient mixing of triplet and singlet excited states is observed, with sub-microsecond thermally activated radiative triplet lifetimes. These complexes provide prototype organic light-emitting diodes based exclusively on silver emitters, with external quantum efficiencies of up to 14%.