To provide a material for organic EL elements and an organic EL element, each exhibiting high color purity and the high luminance at low driving voltage, having long life and having gradual lowering of luminance in initial stage of lighting.

The material for organic electroluminescent elements is a compound expressed by general formula (1) (wherein Ar1 and Ar2 are each an aromatic hydrocarbon group or an aromatic heterocyclic group and at least one of Ar1 and Ar2 is a phenyl group in which five-membered heterocyclic ring such as phenylthiophene is substituted at a para-position).