Cationic, chiral arene ruthenium complexes of the type [Ru(eta(6)-cym)(PPh3)kappa N-2,S-PhNC(S)R}]BPh4 were prepared in high yields by refluxing a mixture containing [(eta(6)-cym)RuCl2](2), Ph3P, PhNHC(S)R, NaBPh4 and Et3N in MeOH. A series of seven complexes with different thioamide ligands was prepared and fully characterised by spectroscopic methods including NMR spectroscopy and electrospray mass spectrometry. The solid-state structures of two complexes were determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.