TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: The Group VIII metal of homogeneous catalyst is selected from rhodium, ruthenium, palladium, cobalt, platinum, nickel, iridium and/or iron. The homogeneous catalyst is a complex of ruthenium or rhodium with trisulfonated triphenylphosphite.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Process: In the process, the molar ratio of the Group VIII metal and the polar ionic ligand is 1:1 to 1:100. The content of the Group VIII metal in the reaction mixture is 10-1000 parts per million (ppm). The molar ratio of C=C/Group VIII metal is 200-50000. The hydrogenation is conducted in the presence of a solvent. The hydrogenation is conducted in the presence of a lower alcohol or a dialkyl ether. The hydrogenation is conducted at 50-120 degrees C. The hydrogenation is conducted under a pressure of 5-100 bar. The hydrogenation is conducted over a reaction time of 5-240 minutes. Preferred Components: The ester (E1) is either a glyceride or an alkyl ester. The ester is of formula R1CO-OR2. The ester (E1) is a methyl ester of sunflower or palm kernel oil. The ester (E1) has an iodine number of at least 5 (preferably 5-127). The glyceride is a synthetic or natural mono-, di- and/or triglyceride. The glyceride is sunflower oil, rape seed oil, olive oil, palm kernel oil and/or linseed oil. The glycerides exhibit iodine value of 5-127. The polar ionic ligand is sulfonated phosphites of formula (I)-(IV), trisulfonated triphenylphospite (TSTPP) of formula (V).R1=unsaturated 16-22C acyl, or saturated and unsaturated 6-22C acyl;R2=linear or branched 1-6C alkyl;R1a, R2a and R3a=linear or branched 1-20C alkyl, linear or branched 1-20C cycloalkyl, alkylaryl, arylalkyl, phenyl, benzyl, n-toluoyl, pyridyl, biphenyl, naphthyl or dinaphthyl group;R4=1-20C alkyl;n, m and p=0-3;n+m+p=greater than 0;Z1=linear or branched 1-30C alkyl, linear or branched 1-30C alkyloxyalkyl, alkyl-S-alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, biaryl, naphthyl, binaphthyl, arylalkyl, arylalkylaryl, aryloxyaryl, aryl-S-alkyl, aryl-S-aryl, aryl-N(R5)aryl or aryl-N(R5)-alkyl moiety;R5 and R4a=alkyl or aromatic radical;R3a=1-12C alkyl;n1 and n2=0-6;n1+n2=greater than 0;Ar1 and Ar2=arylalkyl, alkylaryl, aryl, biaryl, naphthyl or binaphthyl;h and i=0-3;h+i=greater than 0;n3, n4 and n5=0 or 1;X=-CR8R9-, -O-, -S-, -NR10-, -SiR11R12- or -CO-;R8 and R9=H, 1-12C alkyl, phenyl, toluoyl or anisol;R10 and R12=H or methyl;R7=1-12C alkyl, alkylaryl, arylalkyl, cyclohexyl, 1-methylcyclohexyl or benzyl;t1, t2 and t3=0-3;t1+t2+t3=greater than 0;X1=R5aN+R6aR7aR8a cation;R5a=H or 1-30C alkyl (preferably 4-8C alkyl);R6a, R7a and R8a=1-30C alkyl. EXAMPLE - Hydrogenation of sunflower methyl ester was carried out in the presence of RuCl3.3H2O catalyst (1.76 mg) and methyl alcohol at 100 degrees C and a pressure of 80 bar for 60 minutes to obtain a fully saturated 18C fatty acid ester (yield 89.2 mol.%).