Organic electroluminescent device

This invention provides an organic electroluminescent element (hereinafter referred to as an organic EL element) utilizing phosphorescence which shows improved luminous efficiency and assured driving stability and has a simple structure. The organic EL element comprises an anode, organic layers containing a hole-transporting layer, a lightemitting layer and an electron-transporting layer and a cathode piled one upon another on a substrate with the hole-transporting layer disposed between the light-emitting layer and the anode and the electron-transporting layer disposed between the light-emitting layer and the cathode. The light-emitting layer contains a pyridyl phenoxy zinc complex represented by the following general formula (I) as a host material and an organic metal complex containing at least one metal selected from Ru, Rh, Pd, Ag, Re, Os, Ir, Pt and Au as a guest material. In formula (I), R1-R8 denote hydrogen and groups such as alkyl, alkenyl, cyano, amino, amide, alkoxycarbonyl, carboxyl, alkoxy and aryl.