Homogeneous dispersions of chalcogenides of the formula MX.sub.y wherein M is a metal selected from the group consisting of ruthenium, rhodium, iridium and osmium, X is a chalcogen selected from the group consisting of sulfur, selenium, tellurium and mixtures thereof and y is a number ranging from about 0.1 to about 3 prepared by mixing in the presence of a nonaqueous solvent selected from the group consisting of propylene carbonate, dimethylformamide (DMF), pyridine, acetonitrile, benzonitrile, propionitrile, 1,2 dimethoxyethane, diglyme and n-methylformamide solutions of:
- (a) metal salts, the metal being selected from the group consisting of ruthenium, rhodium, iridium and osmium, and
- (b) sources of sulfur, selenium, tellurium ions and mixtures thereof selected from the group consisting of Li.sub.2 X, Na.sub.2 X, K.sub.2 XNaHX, LiHX, KHX(NH.sub.4).sub.2 X, (RNH.sub.3).sub.2 X, (RR'NH.sub.2).sub.2 X, (RR'R"NH).sub.2 X, wherein R, R' and R" are the same or different and are selected from the group consisting of C.sub.1 to C.sub.20 alkyl and C.sub.6 to C.sub.20 aryl groups and X is selected from the group consisting of sulfur, selenium, tellurium and mixtures thereof, at a temperature of between 0.degree. to 400.degree. C.