A series of phosphorescent Ir(III) complexes 1-4 were synthesized based on aryl(6-arylpyridin-3-yl)methanone ligands, and their photophysical and electroluminescent properties were characterized. Multilayer devices with the configuration, Indium tin oxide/4,4',4 ''-tris(N-(naphthalene-2-yl)-N-phenyl-amino)triphenylamine (60 nm)/4,4'-bis(N-(1-naphthyl)-N-phenylamino)biphenyl (20 nm)/Ir(III) complexes doped in N,N'-dicarbazolyl-4,4'-biphenyl (30 nm, 8%)/2,9-dimethyl-4,7-diphenyl-phenathroline (10 nm)/tris(8-hydroxyquinoline)-aluminum (20 nm)/lithium quinolate (2 nm)/Al (100 nm), were fabricated. Among these, the device employing complex 2 as a dopant exhibited efficient red emission with a maximum luminance, luminous efficiency, power efficiency and quantum efficiency of 16200 cd/m(2) at 14.0 V. 12.20 cd/A at 20 mA/cm(2), 426 lm/W and 926% at 20 mA/cm(2), respectively, with Commission Internationale de l'Enclairage coordinates of (0.63, 037) at 12.0 V. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.