Carbene compounds and organic electroluminescent devices

An organic electroluminescent device (OLED) that includes an anode, a cathode, and an organic layer comprising a compound selected from the group consisting of Formula I and Formula III,

• wherein
• L is a monodentate anionic ligand with a coordinating member selected from the group consisting of C, N, O, S, and P;
• M is a metal selected from the group consisting of Cu, Au, and Ag;
• each of R1 and R2 is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen,
• deuterium, fluorine, alkyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, heteroalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, and combinations thereof;
• each of which is optionally substituted;
• wherein R1 and R2 are further joined to form a single carbocyclic ring with an optional heteroatom, wherein the carbocyclic ring does not include an unsubstituted cyclohexyl ring or an adamantyl ring;
• each of RA and RB independently represent mono to the maximum allowable substitution, or no substitution, and
• each RA and RB is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, deuterium, halogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl, heteroalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, arylalkyl, alkoxy, aryloxy, amino, silyl, alkenyl, cycloalkenyl, heteroalkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, nitrile, isonitrile, sulfanyl, and combinations thereof;
• or optionally, any two adjacent RA or RB can join to form a ring, which is optionally substituted;
• one of Y1 and Y2 is C═O and the other of Y1 and Y2 is CRR′ or C═O, wherein R and R′ are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, deuterium, halogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl, heteroalkyl, arylalkyl, amino, silyl, aryl, heteroaryl, and combinations thereof, or optionally, R and R′ can be joined to form a ring, which is optionally substituted;
• L is selected from the group consisting of:
• NRXRY, PRXRY, CRXRYRZ, phenyl, substituted phenyl, ORX, and SRX,
• wherein RX, RY, and RZ are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, deuterium, alkyl, cycloalkyl, heteroalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, and combinations thereof;
• each of which is optionally substituted, or optionally, RX and RY can join to form five-membered or six-membered, carbocyclic or heterocyclic ring, which is optionally substituted;
• and
• wherein in Formula I, when L is a substituted phenyl, the substitution is not two methyl groups at both ortho positions, and in Formula III, when L is ORX, RX is not butyl;
• and when L is CRXRYRZ, RX, RY, and RZ are not methyl.

A consumer product comprising an organic light-emitting device (OLED), the OLED including an anode, a cathode, and an organic layer comprising a compound selected from the group consisting of Formula I and Formula III,

• wherein
• L is a monodentate anionic ligand with a coordinating member selected from the group consisting of C, N, O, S, and P;
• M is a metal selected from the group consisting of Cu, Au, and Ag;
• each of R1 and R2 is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen,
• deuterium, fluorine, alkyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, heteroalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, and combinations thereof;
• each of which is optionally substituted;
• wherein R1 and R2 are further joined to form a single carbocyclic ring with an optional heteroatom, wherein the carbocyclic ring does not include an unsubstituted cyclohexyl ring or an adamantyl ring;
• each of RA and RB independently represent mono to the maximum allowable substitution, or no substitution, and
• each RA and RB is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, deuterium, halogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl, heteroalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, arylalkyl, alkoxy, aryloxy, amino, silyl, alkenyl, cycloalkenyl, heteroalkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, nitrile, isonitrile, sulfanyl, and combinations thereof;
• or optionally, any two adjacent RA or RB can join to form a ring, which is optionally substituted;
• one of Y1 and Y2 is C═O and the other of Y1 and Y2 is CRR′ or C═O, wherein R and R′ are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, deuterium, halogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl, heteroalkyl, arylalkyl, amino, silyl, aryl, heteroaryl, and combinations thereof, or optionally, R and R′ can be joined to form a ring, which is optionally substituted;
• L is selected from the group consisting of:
• NRXRY, PRXRY, CRXRYRZ, phenyl, substituted phenyl, ORX, and SRX,
• wherein RX, RY, and RZ are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, deuterium, alkyl, cycloalkyl, heteroalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, and combinations thereof;
• each of which is optionally substituted, or optionally, RX and RY can join to form five-membered or six-membered, carbocyclic or heterocyclic ring, which is optionally substituted;
• and
• wherein in Formula I, when L is a substituted phenyl, the substitution is not two methyl groups at both ortho positions, and in Formula III, when L is ORX, RX is not butyl;
• and when L is CRXRYRZ, RX, RY, and RZ are not methyl;
• wherein the compounds of Formula I and Formula III are vapor deposited with a host material to provide the organic layer;
• and
• wherein the consumer product is selected from the group consisting of a flat panel display, a computer monitor, a medical monitors television, a billboard, a light for interior or exterior illumination and/or signaling, a heads-up display, a fully or partially transparent display, a flexible display, a laser printer, a telephone, a cell phone, tablet, a phablet, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a wearable device, a laptop computer, a digital camera, a camcorder, a viewfinder, a micro-display, a 3-D display, a virtual reality or augmented reality display, a vehicle, a large area wall, a theater or stadium screen, a light therapy device, and a sign.