Electroluminescent devices incorporating mixed metal organic complexes

An electroluminescent device comprising:

• (i) a first electrode;
• (ii) a second electrode:
• and,
• (iii) a layer of an electroluminescent material positioned between said first and second electrodes, wherein said electroluminescent material is selected from the group consisting of materials having the general chemical formula (Lα)nM1M2 and materials having the general chemical formula (Lα)nM1M2(Lp) wherein:
• M1 is selected from the group consisting of Sm(III), Eu(II), Eu(III), Tb(III), Dy(III), Yb(III), Lu(III), Gd(III), Tm(III), Th(IV), Ce(III), Ce(IV), Pr(III), Nd(III), Pm(III), Dy(III), Ho(III) or Er(III);
• M2 is selected from the group consisting of lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium, caesium, magnesium, calcium, strontium, barium, boron, aluminum, gallium, indium, germanium, tin, lead, scandium, titanium, vanadium, chromium, nickel, copper, zinc, yttrium, zirconium, niobium, molybdenum, ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, silver, cadmium, tantalum, osmium, iridium, platinum and gold;
• n is an integer equal to the combined valence state of M1 and M2;
• Lαis selected from the group of materials consisting of (a) to (f) as follows:
• wherein R1 and R2 can be the same or different and are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen;
• substituted or unsubstituted aliphatic groups;
• substituted or unsubstituted aromatic, heterocyclic or polycyclic ring structures;
• fluorocarbon groups;
• and halogens;
• X is selected from the group consisting of Se, S, and O;
• and,
• Y is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen;
• substituted or unsubstituted aliphatic groups;
• substituted or unsubstituted aromatic, heterocyclic or polycyclic ring structures;
• fluorocarbon groups;
• halogens;
• and nitrile;
• wherein R is selected from the group consisting of hydrocarbyl groups, aliphatic groups, aromatic groups, heterocyclic groups, carboxy groups, aryloxy groups, hydroxy groups and alkoxy groups;
• wherein R5 is selected from the group consisting of substituted or unsubstituted aromatic groups, heterocyclic groups and polycyclic rings;
• wherein R1 and R2 are as defined in (a) above;
• wherein R1 and R2 are as defined in (a) above;
• and,
• wherein R is selected from the group consisting of hydrocarbyl groups, aliphatic groups, aromatic groups, heterocyclic groups, carboxy groups, aryloxy groups, hydroxyl groups and alkoxy groups;
• and,
• Lp is selected from the group of materials consisting of (g) to (jj) as follows:
• wherein each Ph group can be the same or different and are independently selected from the group consisting of substituted or unsubstituted aromatic groups and substituted or unsubstituted heterocyclic or polycyclic groups with substituents selected from alkyl, aralkyl, alkoxy, aromatic, heterocyclic, and polycyclic groups, halogens, cyano groups, and substituted or unsubstituted amino groups;
• and,
• Z is selected from O and S;
• wherein R1, R2 and R3 can be the same or different and are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen;
• substituted or unsubstituted aliphatic groups;
• substituted and unsubstituted aromatic, heterocyclic and polycyclic ring structures;
• fluorocarbon groups and halogens;
• wherein R is selected from the group consisting of hydrocarbyl groups, aliphatic groups, aromatic groups, heterocyclic groups, carboxy groups, aryloxy groups, hydroxyl groups and alkoxy groups.