Spiro compounds and their use as electroluminescence materials

An electroluminescence device including an active layer comprising a spirobifluorene compound of the formula (III), ##STR36## where the symbols and indices have the following meanings:

• K, L, M, N.sup.1 are identical or different and are ##STR37## R can be identical or different on each appearance and have the same meanings as K, L, M, N or is H, a linear or branched alkyl, alkoxy or ester group having from 1 to 22 carbon atoms, --CN, --NO.sub.2, --NR.sup.2 R.sup.3, --Ar or --O--Ar;
• Ar is phenyl, biphenyl, 1-naphthyl, 2-naphthyl, 2-thienyl, 2-furyl, with each of these groups being able to bear one or two radicals R,
• m, n, p are 0, 1, 2 or 3;
• X, Y are identical or different and are CR or nitrogen;
• Z is --O--, --S--, --NR.sup.1 --, --CR.sup.1 R.sup.4 --, --CH.dbd.CH--, --CH.dbd.N--;
• R.sup.1, R.sup.4 can be identical or different and have the same meanings as R;
• R.sup.2, R.sup.3 are identical or different and are H, a linear or branched alkyl group having from 1 to 22 carbon atoms, --Ar, or 3-methylphenyl.

An electroluminescence device including an active layer comprising a spirobifluorene compound selected from the group consisting of the spirobifluorene compounds of the formula (IIIa) to (IIIg), wherein formula III is:

• ##STR38## and the spirobifluorene compounds (IIIa to IIIg) are derivatives of formula (III) as follows:
• IIIa) K=L=M=N.sup.1 and is selected from the group consisting of:
• ##STR39## R=C.sub.1 -C.sub.22 -alkyl, C.sub.2 H.sub.4 SO.sub.3 --IIIb) K=M=H and N.sup.1 =L and is selected from the group consisting of:
• ##STR40## IIIc) K=M and is selected from the group consisting of:
• ##STR41## and N.sup.1 =L and is selected from the group consisting of:
• ##STR42## IIId) K=M and is selected from the group consisting of:
• ##STR43## and N.sup.1 =L and is selected from the group consisting of:
• ##STR44## IIIe) K=L=H and M=N.sup.1 and is selected from the group consisting of:
• ##STR45## IIIf) K=L and is selected from the group consisting of:
• ##STR46## and M=N.sup.1 and is selected from the group consisting of:
• ##STR47## IIIg) K=L and is selected from the group consisting of:
• ##STR48## and M=N.sup.1 and is selected from the group consisting of:
• ##STR49##

A spiro compound of the formula (V) ##STR50## where the symbols have the following meanings:

• A, B, K, L, M, N.sup.1 are identical or different and are each ##STR51## and A, B can also be identical or different and each be a linear or branched alkyl, alkyloxy or ester group having from 1 to 22 carbon atoms, --CN, --NO.sub.2, --Ar or --O--Ar;
• R is H, a linear or branched alkyl, alkoxy or ester group having from 1 to 22 carbon atoms, --CN, --NO.sub.2, --NR.sup.2 R.sup.3, --Ar or --O--Ar;
• Ar is phenyl, biphenyl, 1-naphthyl, 2-naphthyl, 2-thienyl, 2-furanyl, with each of these groups being able to bear one or two radicals R,
• m, n, p are 0, 1, 2 or 3;
• X, Y are identical or different and are CR or nitrogen;
• Z is --O--, --S--, --NR.sup.1 --, --CR.sup.1 R.sup.4 --, --CH.dbd.CH--, --CH.dbd.N--;
• R.sup.1, R.sup.4 can be identical or different and have the same meanings as R;
• R.sup.2, R.sup.3 are identical or different and are H, a linear or branched alkyl group having from 1 to 22 carbon atoms, --Ar or 3-methylphenyl.