An object of the present invention is to provide an organic electroluminescent element containing an organic layer interposed between an anode and a cathode, the organic layer containing at least one light emitting layer, wherein the at least one light emitting layer contains a π-conjugated compound having an electron donor portion and an electron acceptor portion in the molecule; the π-conjugated compound has a direction vector from an atom having a HOMO orbital in the electron donor portion to an electron cloud of the HOMO orbital, and a direction vector from an atom having a LUMO orbital in the electron acceptor portion to an electron cloud of the LUMO orbital, and the two direction vectors form an angle θ in the range of 90 to 180 degrees; and the π-conjugated compound has a plurality of the electron donor portions or a plurality of the electron acceptor portions.