Cationic bis-cyclometalated iridium (III) complexes [(C^ N) 2Ir (N^ N)](PF6) with 2-(2′- pyridyl)-5-R-1, 3, 4-oxadiazoles (N^ 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– 644nm, 2–6%, and 90–280ns.