Palladium‐Catalyzed C−H Bond Arylation of Cyclometalated Difluorinated 2‐Arylisoquinolinyl Iridium(III) Complexes

The utility of C−H bond functionalization metalated ligands for the elaboration aryl-functionalized difluorinated-1-arylisoquinolinyl Ir(III) complexes has been explored. Bis[(3,5-difluorophenyl)isoquinolinyl](2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-3,5-heptanedionato) iridium(III) undergoes Pd-catalyzed arylation with aryl bromides. reaction regioselectively occurred at flanked by two fluorine atoms difluoroaryl unit, and on both cyclometalated ligands. This post-functionalization gives a straightforward access to modified in only one manipulation allows introduce thermally sensitive functional groups, such as trifluoromethyl, nitrile, benzoyl, or ester. X-ray crystallography, photophysical, electrochemical properties diarylated were investigated. Whatever nature incorporated substituted groups is, all obtained emit red phosphorescence (622–632 nm) similar lifetimes (1.9–2 μs).