The present invention relates to light emitting compounds, especially to triplett emitters suitable for electrooptical applications. Compounds according to the invention are organometallic complexes of a metal, preferably Ir, having a backbone of one five-membered ring that is linked to a five- or six-membered ring, by an intermediate six-membered ring. These compounds are suitable for adaptation to the emission of light in the UV to NIR range by adaptation of atoms or groups within at least one of the five-membered or six-membered ring structures.