The Invention relates to a method Method for making a
ruthenium catalyst comprising the steps of - Providing an aromatic
dithiol substituted on adjacent aromatic carbon atoms with
thiol groups, wherein in a first step an aromatic compound substituted with two leaving groups on adjacent aromatic carbon atoms are reacted with alkali trithiocarbonate to obtain an aromatic benzodithiole-thione, which in a subsequent step is reacted / hydrolysed with a base; - providing a
zinc dithiolate compound by reacting the aromatic
dithiol with a
zinc carboxylate in an
organic solvent; Reacting the
zinc dithiolate compound with a
ruthenium compound wherein X1 and X2 are, independently of each other, are anionic ligands and are the same or different; L and L2 are, independently of each other, neutral
electron donor ligands and are the same or different; Ar is an aromatic group which may be substituted and that can be bridged with L, if L is an
alkoxy group; - Obtaining a
ruthenium catalyst of formula 4 or 4a, wherein R1 to R4 are, independently of each other, are selected from
hydrogen,
halogen,
alkyl,
aryl, or R.1 with R3, R3 with R4 or R2 with R4 are forming together an aliphatic or aromatic ring.