NOVELTY - Metal complexes of polypodal ligands, comprising a bridging unit surrounded by 3 partial ligands, each comprising two linked or fused optionally substituted cyclic groups each containing at least one donor atom or bonding carbon atom, which is either exocyclic or part of the ring, are new.    USE - Complexes (I) are used in organic electronic components, especially in the following organic components : light emission diodes (OLEDs), integrated circuits (O-ICs), field effect transistors (O-FETs), thin-film transistors (O-TFTs), light-emitting transistors (O-LETs), solar cells (O-SCs), optical detectors, photoreceptors, field quench devices (O-FQDs) and laser diodes (O-Lasers) (claimed).    ADVANTAGE - Complexes (I) have better heat stability than known complexes such as those described in e.g. WO200244189 and thus improved operational life. They can be used in pure form or as dopants to give OLEDs showing high efficiency and having steep current-voltage curves and, in addition, are readily soluble in organic solvents and can therefore be easily applied as coatings.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - Metal complexes containing a metal M co-ordinated with a polypodal ligand L and of formula (1) are new.    V = a bridging unit of 1-80 atoms of the 3rd, 4th, 5th and/or 6th main Groups covalently bonded to 3 partial ligands L1, L2 and L3;    a = 0 or 1, with V absent for a = 0;    L1 = a partial ligand of formula Cy1-Cy2 where Cy1 and Cy2 = optionally substituted cyclic groups containing greater than or equal to 1 donor atom or a C atom bonded in the ring or exocyclically and via which the cyclic group is bonded to the metal, these Cy1 and Cy2 groups being bonded together via a covalent bond or a common edge and optionally coupled together via substituents so as to stretch a polycyclic aliphatic or aromatic ring system;    L2 = a donor ligand containing greater than or equal to 1 donor atoms and 2-40C atoms with the proviso that it is not formed of 2 (partial) cycles both bonded to the metal; and    L3 = as for partial ligand L1 or L2.    INDEPENDENT CLAIMS are also included for    (A) the ligands L used in the complex of formula (1);    (B) preparation of the complexes (1) by reacting the novel ligands L with a specified metal compound; and    (C) (partially) conjugated or non-conjugated polymers or dendrimers containing the novel complexes such that greater than or equal to 1 bond of the complex goes to the polymer or dendrimer.