The present invention provides a method of making a metal complex. The method comprises the steps of: (a) acylating a dipyrromethane or a 1-monoacyldipyrromethane to form a mixed reaction product comprising a 1,9-diacyidipyrromethane; (b) combining the reaction product with a compound of the formula R2MX2 in the presence of a base, where R is alkyl or aryl, M is Sn, Si, Ge, or Pb (preferably Sn), and X is halo, OAc, acac, or OTf, to form a product comprising a metal complex of the formula DMR2 in the mixed reaction product, wherein D is a 1,9-diacyldipyrromethane; and then (c) separating the metal complex from the mixed reaction product. The method may be utilized for the convenient synthesis and separation of 1,9-diacyldipyrromethanes. Metal complex intermediates useful in such methods are also described.