Process for producing ortho-metalated complex of iridium with homoligand

摘要

Disclosed is a process for producing an ortho-metalated 1:3 complex of iridium with homoligands which is useful as a luminous material for an organic EL device in high yield at high purity in a short time by a simple procedure. An example of the complex is tris(2-phenylpyridine)iridium(III) and this complex can be produced by reacting iridium(III) acetylacetonate with an organic ligand consisting of 2-phenylpyridine in the copresence of an acidic substance, either an organic acid such as tartaric acid or an inorganic acid such as phosphoric acid.