Synthesis and Electroluminescence Properties of 3-(Trifluoromethyl)phenyl-Substituted 9,10-Diarylanthracene Derivatives for Blue Organic Light-Emitting Diodes

Diaryl-substituted anthracene derivatives containing 3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl) groups, 9,10-diphenyl-2-(3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)anthracene (1), 9,10-di([1,1′-biphenyl]-4-yl)-2-(3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)anthracene (2), and 9,10-di(naphthalen-2-yl)-2-(3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)anthracene (3) were synthesized and characterized. The compounds 1–3 possessed high thermal stability and proper frontier-energy levels, which make them suitable as host materials for blue organic light-emitting diodes. The electroluminescent (EL) emission maximum of the three N,N-diphenylamino phenyl vinyl biphenyl (DPAVBi)-doped (8 wt %) devices for compounds 1–3 was exhibited at 488 nm (for 1) and 512 nm (for 2 and 3). Among them, the 1-based device displayed the highest device performances in terms of brightness (Lmax = 2153.5 cd·m−2), current efficiency (2.1 cd·A−1), and external quantum efficiency (0.8%), compared to the 2- and 3-based devices.