Light-emitting material, and organic electroluminescent device

Abstract

To provide a light-emitting material containing a compound having a high excitation triplet level, particularly a host material of a light emitting layer, as a material for an organic electroluminescent device with high efficiency, and also to provide an organic electroluminescent device with high efficiency and high luminance by using the material. A light-emitting material containing a compound having a carbazole ring structure represented by the following general formula (1), and an organic electroluminescent device containing a pair of electrodes and one layer or plural layers including at least a light emitting layer intervening between the electrodes, the light emitting layer containing as a constitutional material thereof the light-emitting material. ##STR00001##

Claims

1. An organic electroluminescent device comprising a pair of electrodes and one layer or plural layers including at least a light emitting layer intervening between the electrodes, the light emitting layer containing as a host material thereof a light-emitting material comprising a compound having a carbazole ring structure represented by the following general formula (1): ##STR00059## wherein A.sup.1 and A.sup.2 may be the same or different, and each represents a divalent group of a substituted or unsubstituted aromatic hydrocarbon or a divalent group of a substituted or unsubstituted condensed polycyclic aromatics; A.sup.3 represents a divalent group of a substituted or unsubstituted aromatic hydrocarbon, a divalent group of a substituted or unsubstituted condensed polycyclic aromatics, or a single bond; B represents a substituted or unsubstituted pyridyl, bipyridyl, terpyridyl, pyrimidinyl, pyrazinyl, pyridazinyl, triazinyl, pyrrolyl, pyrazolyl, imidazolyl, triazolyl, oxazolyl, isoxazolyl, thiazolyl, isothiazolyl, oxadiazolyl, thiadiazolyl, fury!, thienyl, quinolyl, isoquinolyl, quinoxalinyl, quinazolinyl, naphthyridinyl, indolyl, isoindolyl, benzoimidazolyl, benzotriazolyl, benzofuranyl, benzothienyl, benzoxazolyl, benzoxadiazolyl, benzothiazolyl, benzothiadiazolyl, pyridopyrrolyl, pyridoimidazolyl, pyridotriazolyl, pteridinyl, acridinyl, phenazinyl, phenanthrolinyl, phenoxazinyl, phenothiazinyl, phenocelenazinyl, phenotellurazinyl, phenophosphinazinyl, carbolinyl, dibenzofuranyl, dibenzothienyl, or xanthenyl; and R.sup.1 to R.sup.15 may be the same or different, and each represents a hydrogen atom, a deuterium atom, a fluorine atom, a chlorine atom, cyano, nitro, linear or branched alkyl of 1 to 20 carbon atoms that may have a substituent, cycloalkyl of 5 to 10 carbon atoms that may have a substituent, linear or branched alkenyl of 2 to 20 carbon atoms that may have a substituent, linear or branched alkyloxy of 1 to 20 carbon atoms that may have a substituent, cycloalkyloxy of 5 to 10 carbon atoms that may have a substituent, a substituted or unsubstituted aromatic hydrocarbon group, a substituted or unsubstituted aromatic heterocyclic group, a substituted or unsubstituted condensed polycyclic aromatic group, a substituted or unsubstituted aryloxy group, or a disubstituted amino group substituted with an aromatic hydrocarbon group, an aromatic heterocyclic group, or a condensed polycyclic aromatic group, and may bind to each other via a single bond, a substituted or unsubstituted methylene, an oxygen atom, or a sulfur atom, to form a ring and wherein the organic electroluminescent device emits delayed fluorescence.

2. The organic electroluminescent device according to claim 1, wherein in the general formula (1), A.sup.1 represents phenylene.

3. The organic electroluminescent device according to claim 1, wherein in the general formula (1), A.sup.2 represents phenylene.

4. The organic electroluminescent device according to claim 1, wherein in the general formula (1), A.sup.3 represents phenylene.

5. The organic electroluminescent device according to claim 2, wherein in the general formula (1), A.sup.3 represents phenylene.

6. The organic electroluminescent device according to claim 3, wherein in the general formula (1), A.sup.3 represents phenylene.

7. The organic electroluminescent device according to claim 1, wherein in the general formula (1), A.sup.3 represents a single bond.

8. The organic electroluminescent device according to claim 2, wherein in the general formula (1), A.sup.3 represents a single bond.

9. The organic electroluminescent device according to claim 3, wherein in the general formula (1), A.sup.3 represents a single bond.

10. The organic electroluminescent device according to claim 1, wherein in the general formula (1), A.sup.3 represents biphenylene.

11. The organic electroluminescent device according to claim 2, wherein in the general formula (1), A.sup.3 represents biphenylene.

12. The organic electroluminescent device according to claim 3, wherein in the general formula (1), A.sup.3 represents biphenylene.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a .sup.1H-NMR chart of the compound (compound 6) of Example 1 of the present invention.

(2) FIG. 2 is a .sup.1H-NMR chart of the compound (compound 3) of Example 2 of the present invention.

(3) FIG. 3 is a .sup.1H-NMR chart of the compound (compound 5) of Example 3 of the present invention.

(4) FIG. 4 is a .sup.1H-NMR chart of the compound (compound 4) of Example 4 of the present invention.

(5) FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of the EL devices of Example 8 and Comparative Example 1.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

(6) The compound having a carbazole ring structure represented by the general formula (1) can be synthesized, for example, in the following manner. A compound having two carbazole rings binding via a divalent group of an aromatic hydrocarbon or via a divalent group of a condensed polycyclic aromatics can be synthesized by performing cross-coupling reaction, such as Suzuki coupling reaction, of a carbazole derivative having a halogenated aryl introduced to the 9-position thereof and a boronic acid or a boronate ester of a carbazole derivative, or condensation reaction, such as Buchwald-Hartwig reaction, of a carbazole derivative having a halogen group, such as a bromo group, or a trifluoromethanesulfonyloxy group introduced thereto and a carbazole derivative.

(7) The compound having a carbazole ring structure represented by the general formula (1) can be synthesized by performing condensation reaction, such as Buchwald-Hartwig reaction, of the compound having two carbazole rings binding via a divalent group of an aromatic hydrocarbon or via a divalent group of a condensed polycyclic aromatics and a halogenated aryl having an aromatic heterocyclic group as a substituent.

(8) In alternative, the compound having a carbazole ring structure represented by the general formula (1) can also be synthesized by introducing a halogenated aryl to the compound having two carbazole rings binding via a divalent group of an aromatic hydrocarbon or via a divalent group of a condensed polycyclic aromatics in advance to form a boronic acid or a boronate ester, and subsequently performing cross-coupling reaction, such as Suzuki coupling reaction, with a halogenated aryl having an aromatic heterocyclic group as a substituent.

(9) The following presents specific examples of preferred compounds among the compounds of the general formula (1) having a carbazole ring structure. The present invention, however, is not restricted to these compounds.

(10) ##STR00010## ##STR00011## ##STR00012## ##STR00013## ##STR00014## ##STR00015## ##STR00016## ##STR00017## ##STR00018## ##STR00019## ##STR00020## ##STR00021## ##STR00022## ##STR00023## ##STR00024##

(11) These compounds were purified by methods such as column chromatography, adsorption using, for example, a silica gel, activated carbon, or activated clay, recrystallization or crystallization using a solvent, and a sublimation purification method. The compounds were identified by an NMR analysis.

(12) As a property value thereof, a work function thereof was measured. The work function is an index of the energy level as a material of a light emitting layer or an index of a hole blocking capability.

(13) For the measurement of work function, a 100 nm-thick thin film was fabricated on an ITO substrate, and an atmosphere photoelectron spectrometer (AC-3 produced by Riken Keiki Co., Ltd.) was used.

(14) Examples of the structure of the organic EL device of the present invention include a structure containing an anode, a hole transport layer, a light emitting layer, an electron transport layer, an electron injection layer, and a cathode successively formed on a substrate, optionally with a hole injection layer between the anode and the hole transport layer, an electron blocking layer between the light emitting layer and the hole transport layer, a hole blocking layer between the light emitting layer and the electron transport layer, and an exciton blocking layer on the anode side and/or the cathode side of the light emitting layer. Some of the organic layers in the multilayer structure may be omitted, for example, a single organic layer may serve as the electron injection layer and the electron transport layer, i.e., a structure containing an anode, a hole transport layer, a light emitting layer, an electron transport layer, and a cathode successively formed on a substrate.

(15) Furthermore, two or more organic layers having the same function may be laminated, for example, two layers of the hole transport layers may be laminated, two layers of the light emitting layers may be laminated, and two layers of the electron transport layers may be laminated.

(16) An electrode material having a high work function, such as ITO and gold, may be used as the anode of the organic EL device of the present invention. The hole injection layer used of the organic EL device of the present invention may be a porphyrin compound, represented by copper phthalocyanine, and also may be a naphthalenediamine derivative, a starburst type triphenylamine derivative, a triphenylamine trimer or tetramer, such as an arylamine compound having a structure containing in the molecule thereof three or more triphenylamine structures binding via a single bond or a divalent group containing no hetero atom, a heterocyclic compound having acceptor property, such as hexacyanoazatriphenylene, or a coating type polymer compound. These materials may be formed into a thin film by a vapor deposition method or other known methods such as a spin coating method and an inkjet method.

(17) The hole transport layer used of the organic EL device of the present invention may be a compound containing a m-carbazolylphenyl group, and also may be a benzidine derivative, such as N,N-diphenyl-N,N-di(m-tolyl)-benzidine (TPD), N,N-diphenyl-N,N-di(a-naphthyl)-benzidine (NPD), and N,N,N,N-tetrabiphenylylbenzidine, 1,1-bis[(di-4-tolylamino)phenyl]cyclohexane (TAPC), and various triphenylamine trimers and tetramers. These compounds each may be individually formed into a film, may be used as a single layer formed with another material mixed, or may be formed into a laminated structure containing the individually formed layers, a laminated structure containing the layers with another material mixed, or a laminated structure containing the individually formed layer and the layer with another material mixed. The hole injection or transport layer used may be a coating type polymer material, such as poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT)/poly(styrenesulfonate) (PSS). These materials may be formed into a thin film by a vapor deposition method or other known methods such as a spin coating method and an inkjet method.

(18) In the hole injection layer or the hole transport layer, a material that is ordinarily used in the layer p-doped with trisbromophenylamine hexachloro antimony, a radialene derivative (see, for example, WO 2014/009310), or the like, a polymer compound having a structure of a benzidine derivative, such as TPD, as a partial structure thereof, or the like may be used.

(19) The electron blocking layer used of the organic EL device of the present invention may be a compound having an electron blocking capability, such as a carbazole derivative, such as 4,4,4-tri(N-carbazolyl)triphenylamine (TCTA), 9,9-bis[4-(carbazol-9-yl)phenyl]fluorene, 1,3-bis(carbazol-9-yl)benzene (mCP), and 2,2-bis(4-carbazol-9-ylphenyl)adamantane (Ad-Cz), a compound having a triphenylsilyl group and a triarylamine structure, represented by 9-[4-(carbazol-9-yl)phenyl]-9-[4-(triphenylsilyl)phenyl]-9H-fluorene, a monoamine compound having high electron blocking property, and various triphenylamine dimers. These compounds each may be individually formed into a film, may be used as a single layer formed with another material mixed, or may be formed into a laminated structure containing the individually formed layers, a laminated structure containing the layers with another material mixed, or a laminated structure containing the individually formed layer and the layer with another material mixed. These materials may be formed into a thin film by a vapor deposition method or other known methods such as a spin coating method and an inkjet method.

(20) The light emitting layer used of the organic EL device of the present invention is preferably the light-emitting material containing the compound having a carbazole ring structure represented by the general formula (1). In addition, various metal complexes, such as a metal complex of a quinolinol derivative, e.g., Alq.sub.3, a compound having a pyrimidine ring structure, an anthracene derivative, a bisstylylbenzene derivative, a pyrene derivative, an oxazole derivative, a poly-p-phenylenevinylene derivative, and the like can be used. The light emitting layer may be formed of a host material and a dopant material, and in this case, the host material used is preferably the light-emitting material containing the compound having a carbazole ring structure represented by the general formula (1), and in addition, mCP, a thiazole derivative, a benzimidazole derivative, a polydialkylfluorene derivative, a heterocyclic compound having an indole ring as a partial structure of a condensed ring, and the like can be used. The dopant material used may be a pyrene derivative, an anthracene derivative, quinacridone, coumarin, rubrene, perylene, and derivatives thereof, a benzopyran derivative, a rhodamine derivative, an aminostyryl derivative, a spirobifluorene derivative, and the like. These compounds each may be individually formed into a film, may be used as a single layer formed with another material mixed, or may be formed into a laminated structure containing the individually formed layers, a laminated structure containing the layers with another material mixed, or a laminated structure containing the individually formed layer and the layer with another material mixed.

(21) In the light emitting layer of the organic EL device of the present invention, a phosphorescent light-emitting material as a light-emitting material is preferably used as a dopant material. The phosphorescent light-emitting material used may be a phosphorescent light-emitting material of a metal complex of iridium, platinum, or the like. A green phosphorescent light-emitting material, such as Ir(ppy).sub.3, a blue phosphorescent light-emitting material, such as FIrpic and FIr6, a red phosphorescent light-emitting material, such as Btp.sub.2Ir(acac), may be used, and the host material used therefor is preferably the light-emitting material containing the compound having a carbazole ring structure represented by the general formula (1), and in addition, a heterocyclic compound having an indole ring as a partial structure of a condensed ring, and as a hole injection/transport host material, a carbazole derivative, such as 4,4-di(N-carbazolyl)biphenyl (CBP), TCTA, and mCP, may be used. The electron transport host material used may be p-bis(triphenylsilyl)benzene (UGH2), 2,2,2-(1,3,5-phenylene)-tris(1-phenyl-1H-benzimidazole) (TPBI), and the like, and thereby an organic EL device having high performance can be produced.

(22) In order to avoid concentration quenching, the doping of the host material with the phosphorescent light-emitting material is preferably made by co-evaporation in a range of 1 to 30% by weight with respect to the total light emitting layer.

(23) In the light emitting layer of the organic EL device of the present invention, a material emitting delayed fluorescence as a light-emitting material is more preferably used as a dopant material. The material emitting delayed fluorescence used may be a CDCB derivative, such as PIC-TRZ, CC2TA, PXZ-TRZ, and 4CzIPN, and the like (see, for example, NPLs 3 and 8), and the host material used therefor is preferably the light-emitting material containing the compound having a carbazole ring structure represented by the general formula (1), and in addition, the aforementioned dopant materials preferred for the case using the phosphorescent light-emitting material may be used, such as a carbazole derivative, such as CBP, TCTA, and mCP, and a heterocyclic compound having an indole ring as a partial structure of a condensed ring.

(24) In this case, an embodiment using a mixture of the material emitting delayed fluorescence and the light-emitting materials described above, particularly the fluorescent light-emitting material (dopant material), is also preferred, and an embodiment using a mixture of the light-emitting material containing the compound having a carbazole ring structure represented by the general formula (1) and the aforementioned light-emitting material (host material) is also preferred.

(25) These materials may be formed into a thin film by a vapor deposition method or other known methods such as a spin coating method and an inkjet method.

(26) A device may be produced to have a structure containing a light emitting layer produced by using the light-emitting material containing the compound having a carbazole ring structure represented by the general formula (1) having laminated adjacently thereon a light emitting layer produced by using a compound having a different work function as a host material (see, for example, NPL 9).

(27) The hole blocking layer used of the organic EL device of the present invention may be the compound having a carbazole ring structure represented by the general formula (1), and also may be a phenanthroline derivative, e.g., bathocuproine (BCP), a metal complex of a quinolinol derivative, such as aluminum(III) bis(2-methyl-8-quinolinato)-4-phenylphenolate (BAlq), and hole blocking compounds, such as various kinds of a rare earth derivative, an oxazole derivative, a triazole derivative, and a triazine derivative. These materials may also serve as the material of the electron transport layer. These compounds each may be individually formed into a film, may be used as a single layer formed with another material mixed, or may be formed into a laminated structure containing the individually formed layers, a laminated structure containing the layers with another material mixed, or a laminated structure containing the individually formed layer and the layer with another material mixed. These materials may be formed into a thin film by a vapor deposition method or other known methods such as a spin coating method and an inkjet method.

(28) The electron transport layer used of the organic EL device of the present invention may be a metal complex of a quinolinol derivative, such as Alq.sub.3 and BAlq, and may be various kinds of a metal complex, a triazole derivative, a triazine derivative, an oxadiazole derivative, a pyridine derivative, a benzimidazole derivative, a thiadiazole derivative, an anthracene derivative, a carbodiimide derivative, a quinoxaline derivative, a pyridoindole derivative, a phenanthroline derivative, and a silole derivative. These compounds each may be individually formed into a film, may be used as a single layer formed with another material mixed, or may be formed into a laminated structure containing the individually formed layers, a laminated structure containing the layers with another material mixed, or a laminated structure containing the individually formed layer and the layer with another material mixed. These materials may be formed into a thin film by a vapor deposition method or other known methods such as a spin coating method and an inkjet method.

(29) The electron injection layer used of the organic EL device of the present invention may be an alkali metal salt, such as lithium fluoride and cesium fluoride, an alkaline earth metal salt, such as magnesium fluoride, a metal complex of a quinolinol derivative, such as lithium quinolinol, a metal oxide, such as aluminum oxide, and the like, and may be omitted in the preferred selection of the electron transport layer and the cathode.

(30) In the electron injection layer or the electron transport layer, a material that is ordinarily used in the layers having been n-doped with a metal, such as cesium, a triarylphosphine oxide derivative (see, for example, WO 2014/195482), or the like may also be used.

(31) The electrode material of the cathode used of the organic EL device of the present invention may be an electrode material having a low work function, such as aluminum, or an alloy having a lower work function, such as a magnesium-silver alloy, a magnesium-indium alloy, or an aluminum-magnesium alloy.

(32) Preferred materials that can be used in the organic EL device of the present invention will be specifically shown below. However, the materials that can be used in the present invention are not construed as being limited to the following example compounds. A compound that is exemplified as a material having a particular function may be applied to a material having another function. In the following structural formulae of the example compounds, R and R.sub.2 to R.sub.7 each independently represents a hydrogen atom or a substituent, and n represents an integer of 3 to 5.

(33) Preferred examples of a compound that may also be used as the host material of the light emitting layer are shown below.

(34) ##STR00025## ##STR00026## ##STR00027## ##STR00028## ##STR00029## ##STR00030## ##STR00031##

(35) Preferred examples of a compound that may also be used as the material of the hole injection layer are shown below.

(36) ##STR00032## ##STR00033##

(37) Preferred examples of a compound that may also be used as the material of the hole transport layer are shown below.

(38) ##STR00034## ##STR00035## ##STR00036## ##STR00037## ##STR00038## ##STR00039## ##STR00040## ##STR00041## ##STR00042##

(39) Preferred examples of a compound that may also be used as the material of the electron blocking layer are shown below.

(40) ##STR00043## ##STR00044##

(41) Preferred examples of a compound that may also be used as the material of the hole blocking layer are shown below.

(42) ##STR00045## ##STR00046## ##STR00047##

(43) Preferred examples of a compound that may also be used as the material of the electron transport layer are shown below.

(44) ##STR00048## ##STR00049## ##STR00050## ##STR00051##

(45) Preferred examples of a compound that may also be used as the material of the electron injection layer are shown below.

(46) ##STR00052##

(47) Preferred examples of a compound as a material that may be added are shown below. For example, the compound may be added as a stabilizing material.

(48) ##STR00053##

(49) The following describes an embodiment of the present invention in more detail based on Examples. The present invention, however, is not restricted to the following Examples, as long as such departures are within the scope of the invention.

Example 1

Synthesis of [3-[2-{3-(9H-carbazol-9-yl)phenyl}-9H-carbazol-9-yl]biphenyl-3-yl]-3,5-diphenyl-1,3,5-triazine (Compound 6)

(50) To a reaction vessel having been substituted with nitrogen, 2-hydroxycarbazole (5.0 g) and pyridine (100 mL) were added, to which trifluoromethanesulfonic anhydride (12.0 g) was added dropwise at 0 C. under stirring. The temperature was increased to room temperature, and after stirring for 3 hours, water and chloroform were added thereto, and an organic layer was collected through extraction. After distilling off the solvent, the product was purified by column chromatography, thereby providing a white solid matter of 2-trifluoromethanesulfonyloxycarbazole (yield: 83%).

(51) 2-Trifluoromethanesulfonyloxycarbazole (5.8 g) thus obtained, 3-(9H-carbazol-9-yl)phenylboronic acid (5.0 g), potassium carbonate (3.6 g), toluene (100 mL), ethanol (25 mL), and water (25 mL) were added to a reaction vessel having been substituted with nitrogen, and then tetrakis(triphenylphosphine) palladium (2.0 g) was added thereto under a nitrogen stream, followed by heating under refluxing for 3 hours under stirring. After allowing the reaction mixture to cool to room temperature, water and ethyl acetate were added thereto, and an organic layer was collected through extraction. After distilling off the solvent, the product was purified by column chromatography, thereby providing a white solid matter of 2-{3-(9H-carbazol-9-yl)phenyl}-9H-carbazole (yield: 82%).

(52) Separately, to a reaction vessel having been substituted with nitrogen, 3-bromobiphenyl-3-carboxylic acid (5.0 g) and thionyl chloride (20 mL) were added and heated under refluxing for 1 hour. After distilling off thionyl chloride, the reaction mixture was allowed to cool, and dichloromethane (100 mL), benzonitrile (3.8 mL), and antimony(V) chloride (5.4 g) were added thereto, followed by heating under refluxing for 3 hours under stirring. After allowing the reaction mixture to cool to room temperature, an orange solid matter formed was collected by filtration. After rinsing the product with dichloromethane, the product was added gradually to aqueous ammonia (180 mL), and the mixture was stirred for 1 hour under cooling to 0 C. The product was collected by filtration, thereby providing a white solid matter of 3-(bromobiphenyl-3-yl)-3,5-diphenyl-1,3,5-triazine (yield: 55%).

(53) 2-{3-(9H-Carbazol-9-yl)phenyl}-9H-carbazole (0.88 g) and 3-(bromobiphenyl-3-yl)-3,5-diphenyl-1,3,5-triazine (1.0 g) thus obtained were added to a reaction vessel having been substituted with nitrogen, to which tri-tert-butylphosphine (0.09 g), tert-butoxy sodium (0.23 g), and xylene (60 mL) were further added, and subsequently tris(dibenzylideneacetone) dipalladium chloroform inclusion complex (0.07 g) was further added, and the reaction mixture was heated under refluxing for 3 hours under stirring. After cooling to room temperature, a saturated sodium chloride aqueous solution (100 mL) and ethyl acetate (50 mL) were added thereto, and an organic layer was collected through extraction. After distilling off the solvent, the product was purified by column chromatography, thereby providing a white solid matter of [3-[2-{3-(9H-carbazol-9-yl)phenyl}-9H-carbazol-9-yl]biphenyl-3-yl]-3,5-diphenyl-1,3,5-triazine (Compound 6) (yield: 40%).

(54) ##STR00054##

(55) The structure of the obtained white solid was identified by NMR. The .sup.1H-NMR measurement result is presented in FIG. 1.

(56) .sup.1H-NMR (CDCl.sub.3) detected 37 hydrogen signals, as follows.

(57) (ppm)=7.21 (2H), 7.31 (3H), 7.38-7.68 (15H), 7.74 (3H), 7.82 (2H), 7.87 (1H), 7.97 (1H), 8.07 (2H), 8.18 (1H), 8.22 (1H), 8.63-8.80 (5H), 9.00 (1H).

Example 2

Synthesis of [4-[2-{3-(9H-carbazol-9-yl)phenyl}-9H-carbazol-9-yl]biphenyl-3-yl]-3,5-diphenyl-1,3,5-triazine (Compound 3)

(58) To a reaction vessel having been substituted with nitrogen, 4-bromobiphenyl-3-carboxylic acid (5.0 g) and thionyl chloride (20 mL) were added and heated under refluxing for 1 hour. After distilling off thionyl chloride, the reaction mixture was allowed to cool, and dichloromethane (100 mL), benzonitrile (3.8 mL), and antimony(V) chloride (5.4 g) were added thereto, followed by heating under refluxing for 3 hours under stirring. After allowing the reaction mixture to cool to room temperature, an orange solid matter formed was collected by filtration. After rinsing the product with dichloromethane, the product was added gradually to aqueous ammonia (180 mL), and the mixture was stirred for 1 hour under cooling to 0 C. The product was collected by filtration, thereby providing a white solid matter of (4-bromobiphenyl-3-yl)-3,5-diphenyl-1,3,5-triazine (yield: 53%).

(59) (4-Bromobiphenyl-3-yl)-3,5-diphenyl-1,3,5-triazine (1.0 g) thus obtained and 2-{3-(9H-carbazol-9-yl)phenyl}-9H-carbazole (0.88 g) synthesized in Example 1 were added to a reaction vessel having been substituted with nitrogen, to which tri-tert-butylphosphine (0.09 g), tert-butoxy sodium (0.23 g), and xylene (60 mL) were further added, and subsequently tris(dibenzylideneacetone) dipalladium chloroform inclusion complex (0.07 g) was further added, and the reaction mixture was heated under refluxing for 3 hours under stirring. After cooling to room temperature, a saturated sodium chloride aqueous solution (100 mL) and ethyl acetate (50 mL) were added thereto, and an organic layer was collected through extraction. After distilling off the solvent, the product was purified by column chromatography, thereby providing a white solid matter of [4-[2-{3-(9H-carbazol-9-yl)phenyl}-9H-carbazol-9-yl]biphenyl-3-yl]-3,5-diphenyl-1,3,5-triazine (Compound 3) (yield: 35%).

(60) ##STR00055##

(61) The structure of the obtained white solid was identified by NMR. The .sup.1H-NMR measurement result is presented in FIG. 2.

(62) .sup.1H-NMR (CDCl.sub.3) detected 37 hydrogen signals, as follows.

(63) (ppm)=7.18-7.85 (24H), 7.85-7.95 (2H), 7.94 (1H), 8.13 (2H), 8.19 (1H), 8.24 (1H), 8.74-8.85 (5H), 9.08 (1H).

Example 3

Synthesis [3-[2-{3-(9H-carbazol-9-yl)phenyl}-9H-carbazol-9-yl]biphenyl-4-yl]-3,5-diphenyl-1,3,5-triazine (Compound 5)

(64) To a reaction vessel having been substituted with nitrogen, 4-iodobenzoic acid (5.0 g) and thionyl chloride (50 mL) were added and heated under refluxing for 1 hour. After distilling off thionyl chloride, the reaction mixture was allowed to cool, and dichloromethane (100 mL), benzonitrile (4.2 mL), and antimony(V) chloride (6.0 g) were added thereto, followed by heating under refluxing for 3 hours under stirring. After allowing the reaction mixture to cool to room temperature, an orange solid matter formed was collected by filtration. After rinsing the product with dichloromethane, the product was added gradually to aqueous ammonia (180 mL), and the mixture was stirred for 1 hour under cooling to 0 C. The product was collected by filtration, thereby providing a white solid matter of 4-iodophenyl-3,5-diphenyl-1,3,5-triazine (yield: 84%).

(65) 4-Iodophenyl-3,5-diphenyl-1,3,5-triazine (5.0 g) thus obtained, 3-bromophenylboronic acid (2.5 g), potassium carbonate (1.9 g), toluene (100 mL), ethanol (20 mL), and water (20 mL) were added to a reaction vessel having been substituted with nitrogen, and then tetrakis(triphenylphosphine) palladium (1.3 g) was added thereto under a nitrogen stream, followed by heating under refluxing for 3 hours under stirring. After allowing the reaction mixture to cool to room temperature, water and toluene were added thereto, and an organic layer was collected through extraction. After distilling off the solvent, the product was purified by column chromatography, thereby providing a white solid matter of (3-bromobiphenyl-4-yl)-3,5-diphenyl-1,3,5-triazine (yield: 44%).

(66) (3-Bromobiphenyl-4-yl)-3,5-diphenyl-1,3,5-triazine (1.0 g) thus obtained and 2-{3-(9H-carbazol-9-yl)phenyl}-9H-carbazole (0.88 g) synthesized in Example 1 were added to a reaction vessel having been substituted with nitrogen, to which tri-tert-butylphosphine (0.09 g), tert-butoxy sodium (0.23 g), and xylene (60 mL) were further added, and subsequently tris(dibenzylideneacetone) dipalladium chloroform inclusion complex (0.07 g) was further added, and the reaction mixture was heated under refluxing for 3 hours under stirring. After cooling to room temperature, a saturated sodium chloride aqueous solution (100 mL) and ethyl acetate (50 mL) were added thereto, and an organic layer was collected through extraction. After distilling off the solvent, the product was purified by column chromatography, thereby providing a white solid matter of [3-[2-{3-(9H-carbazol-9-yl)phenyl}-9H-carbazol-9-yl]biphenyl-4-yl]-3,5-diphenyl-1,3,5-triazine (Compound 5) (yield: 35%).

(67) ##STR00056##

(68) The structure of the obtained white solid was identified by NMR. The .sup.1H-NMR measurement result is presented in FIG. 3.

(69) .sup.1H-NMR (CDCl.sub.3) detected 37 hydrogen signals, as follows.

(70) (ppm)=7.21-8.00 (27H), 8.13 (2H), 8.19 (1H), 8.24 (1H), 8.51-8.95 (6H).

Example 4

Synthesis of [4-[2-{3-(9H-carbazol-9-yl)phenyl}-9H-carbazol-9-yl]biphenyl-4-yl]-3,5-diphenyl-1,3,5-triazine (Compound 4)

(71) To a reaction vessel having been substituted with nitrogen, 4-bromobiphenyl-4-carboxylic acid (5.0 g), thionyl chloride (20 mL), and N,N-dimethylformamide were added and heated under refluxing for 1 hour. After distilling off thionyl chloride, the reaction mixture was allowed to cool, and dichloromethane (100 mL), benzonitrile (3.8 mL), and antimony(V) chloride (5.4 g) were added thereto, followed by heating under refluxing for 3 hours under stirring. After allowing the reaction mixture to cool to room temperature, an orange solid matter formed was collected by filtration. After rinsing the product with dichloromethane, the product was added gradually to aqueous ammonia (180 mL), and the mixture was stirred for 1 hour under cooling to 0 C. The product was collected by filtration, thereby providing a white solid matter of (4-bromobiphenyl-4-yl)-3,5-diphenyl-1,3,5-triazine (yield: 53%).

(72) (4-Bromobiphenyl-4-yl)-3,5-diphenyl-1,3,5-triazine (1.0 g) thus obtained and 2-{3-(9H-carbazol-9-yl)phenyl}-9H-carbazole (0.88 g) synthesized in Example 1 were added to a reaction vessel having been substituted with nitrogen, to which tri-tert-butylphosphine (0.09 g), tert-butoxy sodium (0.23 g), and xylene (60 mL) were further added, and subsequently tris(dibenzylideneacetone) dipalladium chloroform inclusion complex (0.07 g) was further added, and the reaction mixture was heated under refluxing for 3 hours under stirring. After cooling to room temperature, a saturated sodium chloride aqueous solution (100 mL) and ethyl acetate (50 mL) were added thereto, and an organic layer was collected through extraction. After distilling off the solvent, the product was purified by column chromatography, thereby providing a white solid matter of [4-[2-{3-(9H-carbazol-9-yl)phenyl}-9H-carbazol-9-yl]biphenyl-4-yl]-3,5-diphenyl-1,3,5-triazine (Compound 4) (yield: 42%).

(73) ##STR00057##

(74) The structure of the obtained white solid was identified by NMR. The .sup.1H-NMR measurement result is presented in FIG. 4.

(75) .sup.1H-NMR (CDCl.sub.3) detected 37 hydrogen signals, as follows.

(76) (ppm)=7.21-8.00 (27H), 8.13 (2H), 8.19 (1H), 8.24 (1H), 8.51-8.95 (6H).

Example 5

(77) A 100 nm-thick vapor-deposited film was fabricated on an ITO substrate using the compound of Example 1 (Compound 6). The work function was measured using an atmosphere photoelectron spectrometer (AC-3 produced by Riken Keiki Co., Ltd.).

(78) TABLE-US-00001 Work function Compound of Example 1 6.10 eV CBP 6.00 eV

(79) As shown above, the compound having a carbazole ring structure represented by the general formula (1) has an energy level favorable as a material of a light emitting layer, which is equivalent to CBP, which has been ordinarily used as a light-emitting host material.

(80) The compound has a larger work function than the work function of 5.4 eV of the ordinary hole transport materials, such as NPD and TPD, and thus has a large hole blocking capability.

Example 6

(81) An ultraviolet-visible absorption spectrum of a thin film (100 nm) of the compound of Example 1 (Compound 6) has an absorption end of 355 nm, from which a band gap of 3.49 eV is calculated. Accordingly, an electron affinity of 2.61 eV is calculated for the compound of Example 1 (Compound 6) from the value of the work function (6.10 eV).

(82) As shown above, the compound having a carbazole ring structure represented by the general formula (1) has a smaller electron affinity than the electron affinity of 2.7 eV of the ordinary electron transport materials, such as TPBi, and thus is understood to be excellent in electron injection property.

Example 7

(83) On a glass substrate, the compound of Example 1 (Compound 6) and 2,4,5,6-9H-tetracarbazolyl-9-yl-dicyanobenzene (4CzIPN) shown by the following structural formula were subjected to dual vapor deposition at a vapor deposition rate providing a vapor deposition rate ratio of (compound of Example 1 (Compound 6))/(4CzIPN) of 94/6, so as to produce a thin film having a thickness of 100 nm, which was designated as an organic photoluminescent (PL) device. The device was measured with Absolute PL quantum yield spectrometer, Quantaurus-QY, produced by Hamamatsu Photonics K.K., under nitrogen steam at 300 K, and the PL quantum efficiency thereof was 57%.

(84) ##STR00058##

Example 8

(85) An organic EL device was fabricated by vapor-depositing a hole transport layer 3, a light emitting layer 4, an electron transport layer 5, an electron injection layer 6, and a cathode (aluminum electrode) 7 in this order on a glass substrate 1 on which an ITO electrode was formed as a transparent anode 2 beforehand, as shown in FIG. 5.

(86) Specifically, the glass substrate 1 having ITO (a thickness of 100 nm) formed thereon was washed with an organic solvent, and subjected to a UV ozone treatment to wash the surface. The glass substrate with the ITO electrode was then installed in a vacuum vapor deposition apparatus, and the pressure was reduced to 0.001 Pa or less.

(87) Subsequently, NPD was formed to a thickness of 35 nm as the hole transport layer 3 to cover the transparent anode 2. On the hole transport layer 3, the compound of Example 1 (Compound 6) and 4CzIPN of the aforementioned structural formula were subjected to dual vapor deposition at a vapor deposition rate providing a vapor deposition rate ratio of (Compound of Example 1 (Compound 6))/(4CzIPN) of 95/5 to a thickness of 15 nm as the light emitting layer 4. On the light emitting layer 4, TPBI was formed to a thickness of 65 nm as the electron transport layer 5. On the electron transport layer 5, lithium fluoride was formed to a thickness of 0.8 nm as the electron injection layer 6. Finally, aluminum was vapor-deposited to a thickness of 70 nm to form the cathode 7. The characteristics of the organic EL device were measured in the atmosphere at ordinary temperature.

(88) Table 1 summarizes the results of the emission characteristics measurements after applying DC voltage to the organic EL device fabricated with the compound of Example 1 (Compound 6).

Comparative Example 1

(89) For comparison, an organic EL device was fabricated under the same conditions as in Example 8 except that CBP was used as the material of the light emitting layer 4 instead of the compound of Example 1 (Compound 6), and the materials were subjected to dual vapor deposition at a vapor deposition rate providing a vapor deposition rate ratio of (CBP)/(4CzIPN) of 95/5 to a thickness of 15 nm. The characteristics of the organic EL device were measured in the atmosphere at ordinary temperature. Table 1 summarizes the results of the emission characteristics measurements after applying DC voltage to the organic EL device.

(90) TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 1 Luminance Power efficiency Voltage [V] [cd/m.sup.2] [lm/W] Compound (@10 mA/cm.sup.2) (@10 mA/cm.sup.2) (@10 mA/cm.sup.2) Ex. 8 Compound 6 6.6 1168 11.1 Com. CBP 7.8 799 6.6 Ex. 1

(91) As shown in Table 1, the driving voltage on application of an electric current of a current density of 10 mA/cm.sup.2 was 7.8 V for the organic EL device of Comparative Example 1 using CBP, but was lowered to 6.6 V for the organic EL device of Example 8 using the compound of Example 1 (Compound 6). The luminance on application of an electric current of a current density of 10 mA/cm.sup.2 was 799 cd/m.sup.2 for the organic EL device of Comparative Example 1 using CBP, but was largely enhanced to 1,168 cd/m.sup.2 for the organic EL device of Example 8 using the compound of Example 1 (Compound 6). The power efficiency was 6.6 lm/W for the organic EL device of Comparative Example 1 using CBP, but was largely enhanced to 11.1 lm/W for the organic EL device of Example 8 using the compound of Example 1 (Compound 6).

(92) It was thus understood that the organic EL device of the present invention was excellent in driving voltage, luminance, and power efficiency, as compared to the device using CBP, which was used as an ordinary light-emitting material (host material).

(93) As described above, the compound having a carbazole ring structure represented by the general formula (1) has a favorable energy level, is excellent in electron injection property, has a large hole blocking capability, and thus has a favorable capability of confining triplet energy.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

(94) The compound having a carbazole ring structure represented by the general formula (1) has a favorable energy level and a favorable capability of confining triplet energy, and thus is excellent as a host compound of a light emitting layer and a hole blocking compound. Furthermore, by producing an organic EL device by using the compound, an ordinary organic EL device can be improved in luminance and power (luminous) efficiency.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST

(95) 1 Glass substrate 2 Transparent anode 3 Hole transport layer 4 Light emitting layer 5 Electron transport layer 6 Electron injection layer 7 Cathode