This invention relates to a transition metal compound represented by the formula LMX wherein M is a Group 3 to 11 metal L is a bulky bidentate or tridentate neutral ligand that is bonded to M by two or three heteroatoms and at least one heteroatom is nitrogen; X is a substituted or unsubstituted catecholate ligand provided that the substituted catecholate ligand does not contain a 1,2-diketone functionality.