Cationic bis-cyclometalated iridium(III) complexes (C boolean AND N)(2)Ir(N boolean AND N) with 2-(2'-pyridyl)-5-R-1,3,4-oxadiazoles (N boolean AND N; R = 1-adamantyl, mesityl, N-diphenylamino) have a redox gap of 2.58-2.68 V and exhibit orange-red phosphorescence in argon-saturated dichloromethane solution with a maximum, quantum yield, and excited-state lifetime of 613-644 nm, 2-6%, and 90-280 ns. (C) 2012 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.