Abstract: A metal complex having a &bgr;-diketonate represented by the following formula (1): wherein M represents a metal atom of the VIII group, R1, R2 and R3 represent a group or an atom selected from the group consisting of an alkyl group, an aryl group, a hydroxyl group, an amino group, an alkoxy group, a hydrogen atom and a halogen atom; X−1 represents an ion selected from a halogen, nitric acid, sulfonic acid, fluoroboric acid, fluorophosphoric acid, or perchloric acid ion; L1 or L2 represents a 2,2′-bipyridine or 1,10-phenanthroline group where these groups may be substituted with a group or an atom selected from an alkyl group, a carboxyl group, a sulfonic acid group, a phosphonic acid group, a hydroxyl group, an amino group, a hydrogen atom and a halogen atom. A photoelectric conversion element and a photochemical cell using the above-mentioned metal complex.