BODIPY platform: a tunable tool for green to NIR OLEDs

The rapid appearance of organic optoelectronics as a promising alternative to conventional optoelectronics has been largely achieved through the design and development of new conjugated systems. The 4,4-difluoro-4-bora-3a, 4a-diaza-s-indacene (BODIPY)-based materials have recently emerged as platforms for many types of applications such as sensors, organic thin-film transistors and organic photovoltaics; however, their application as active materials in organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) has only been poorly explored. This review article provides an overview of the most important developments in the structural design and synthesis of BODIPY-based organic semiconductors for application in OLED devices. The results summarised and discussed here include the most relevant results starting from the first application of BODIPY-based materials in OLEDs in 2002 up to the recent discoveries as near-IR emitters also promoted by aggregation-induced emission (AIE). Therefore, this review should inspire new research for future developments of BODIPY-based materials, in particular as 'metal-free' infrared emitters.