Metal complex having β-diketonate, process for production thereof, photoelectric conversion element, and photochemical cell

A method for producing a metal complex having a β-diketonate represented by the formula (1),

• comprising heating a metal complex of the VIII group having, as ligands, L1 and L2 which represent a 2,2′-bipyridine group or a 1,10-phenanthroline group, each of which is substituted with at least one group or one atom selected from a carboxyl group, a sulfonic acid group, a phosphonic acid group, a hydroxyl group, an amino group, and a halogen atom,
• wherein M represents a metal atom of the VIII group;
• R1, R2 and R3 each 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;
• and a β-diketonate derivative, in the presence of an alkali and a solvent, and treating the resulting product with an aqueous solution containing an acid such that X− represents an ion selected from the group consisting of a halogen ion, a nitric acid ion, a sulfonic acid ion, a fluoroboric acid ion, a fluorophosphoric acid ion, and a perchloric acid ion.