Process for the preparation of iridium complexes of the formula or, where: X, Y are, identically or differently on each occurrence, a monodentate, monoanionic ligand which is bonded to the iridium via a heteroatom; M + is a monovalent cation; R 1, R 2 are, identically or differently on each occurrence, H, CN, a straight-chain, branched or cyclic alkyl or alkoxy group having 1 to 20 C atoms, in which one or more non-adjacent CH 2 groups may be replaced by -O-, -S-, -NR 3 -, -CONR 3 -, -CO-O-, -CR 3 =CR 3 - or -C≡C- and in which one or more H atoms may be replaced by F, or an aromatic or heteroaromatic ring system having 4 to 14 C atoms, which may be substituted by one or more non-aromatic radicals R 1; a plurality of substituents R 1 and/or R 2 here may together in turn form a further mono- or polycyclic, aliphatic or aromatic ring system; R 3 is, identically or differently on each occurrence, H or an aliphatic or aromatic hydrocarbon radical having 1 to 20 C atoms; by reaction of an iridium salt with compounds containing anions of the formula, where, for the synthesis of complexes of the formula, the overall stoichiometric ratio of iridium salt to anion of the formula is 1: 4 to 1: 100 and, for the synthesis of complexes of the formula, the overall stoichiometric ratio of iridium salt to anion of the formula is 1: 2 to 1: 4, characterised in that the starting materials are brought to reaction in a first solvent or solvent mixture, where the solvent used is water or a mixture of water with a dipolar-protic or dipolar-aprotic solvent, the solvent or solvent mixture is then partly or completely exchanged with substantial retention of the molar amount of the salt-like components of the reaction mixture, where the solvent exchange is not carried out by filtering off a precipitated-out fraction of the product that has already formed with subsequent recrystallisation and where filtration is not carried out between the first and second reaction steps, and the reaction is completed in a further step in a further solvent or solvent mixture which is different from the first solvent or solvent mixture and which is a dipolar-protic solvent, where the intermediate or crude product is isolated as a solid after the first reaction step and where the reaction is carried out in a temperature range from 20°C to 200°C. X, Y are, identically or differently on each occurrence, a monodentate, monoanionic ligand which is bonded to the iridium via a heteroatom; M + is a monovalent cation; R 1, R 2 are, identically or differently on each occurrence, H, CN, a straight-chain, branched or cyclic alkyl or alkoxy group having 1 to 20 C atoms, in which one or more non-adjacent CH 2 groups may be replaced by -O-, -S-, -NR 3 -, -CONR 3 -, -CO-O-, -CR 3 =CR 3 - or -C≡C- and in which one or more H atoms may be replaced by F, or an aromatic or heteroaromatic ring system having 4 to 14 C atoms, which may be substituted by one or more non-aromatic radicals R 1; a plurality of substituents R 1 and/or R 2 here may together in turn form a further mono- or polycyclic, aliphatic or aromatic ring system; R 3 is, identically or differently on each occurrence, H or an aliphatic or aromatic hydrocarbon radical having 1 to 20 C atoms;