Preparation of single enantiomers of chiral at metal bis-cyclometallated iridium complexes

Reaction of [Ir(C^N)[subscript 2]Cl][subscript 2] with chiral bidentate N^OH ligands provides complexes [Ir(C^N)[subscript 2](N^O)] as a 1 : 1 mixture of diastereomers which can be separated by crystallisation. A pure diastereomer can be converted to [Ir(C^N)[subscript 2](bipy)][CF[subscript 3]CO[subscript 2]] with complete retention of stereochemistry at the metal.