A catalyst precursor represented by the formula: wherein each solid line represents a covalent bond and each arrow represents a bond having a varying degree of covalency and a varying degree of coordination; wherein M is a Group 3, 4, 5 or 6 transition metal; N 1 and N 2 are nitrogen; O is oxygen; each of X 1 and X 2 is, independently, a univalent C 1 to C 20 hydrocarbyl radical, a functional group, wherein the functional group is an amine, imide, amide, ether, alcohol, hydroxide, sulfide, sulfate, phosphide, halide, phosphonate, alkoxide, ester, carboxylate, or aldehyde, or X 1 and X 2 join together to form a C 4 to C 62 cyclic or polycyclic ring structure, provided however when M is trivalent X 2 is not present; wherein each of R* 1 and R* 2 independently comprises a bulky functional group, wherein the bulky functional group is selected from substituted or unsubstituted bulky aliphatic radicals having three carbons or more, bulky alicyclic radicals having three carbons or more, and/or bulky aromatic radicals having five carbons or more, each having a molecular size greater than or equal to an isopropyl moiety, an electron withdrawing group, wherein the electron withdrawing group comprises -NO 2, -CF 3, -CCl 3, -CBr 3, -Cl 3, -CN, -SO 3 H, -COOH, -CHO, -F, -Cl,-Br, -I, -COOR α, -COR α, -NR α 3 +, or a combination thereof, wherein each R α is independently hydrogen or a C 1 -C 20 alkyl radical, or a combination thereof, and wherein at least one of R* 1 and R* 2 independently comprises a cyclopentadienyl radical having the structure: wherein C* indicates an attachment carbon of the radical; each R 1, R 2, R 3, R 4 R 5, R 6 R 8, R 9, R 10, R 11, R 12, R 13, R 14, R 15, R 16, and R 17 is, independently, hydrogen, a C 1- C 40 hydrocarbyl radical, a functional group, wherein the functional group is an amine, imide, amide, ether, alcohol, hydroxide, sulfide, sulfate, phosphide, halide, phosphonate, alkoxide, ester, carboxylate, or aldehyde, two or more of R 1, R 2, R 3, R 4, R 5, R 6, R 8, R 9, R 10, R 11, R 12, R 13, R 14, R 15, R 16, and R 17 independently join together to form a C 4 to C 62 cyclic or polycyclic ring structure, or a combination thereof; R 7 is a C 1- C 40 hydrocarbyl radical or a functional group, wherein the functional group is an amine, imide, amide, ether, alcohol, hydroxide, sulfide, sulfate, phosphide, halide, phosphonate, alkoxide, ester, carboxylate, or aldehyde; and Y is a divalent C 1 to C 20 hydrocarbyl radical. wherein M is a Group 3, 4, 5 or 6 transition metal; N 1 and N 2 are nitrogen; O is oxygen; each of X 1 and X 2 is, independently, a univalent C 1 to C 20 hydrocarbyl radical, a functional group, wherein the functional group is an amine, imide, amide, ether, alcohol, hydroxide, sulfide, sulfate, phosphide, halide, phosphonate, alkoxide, ester, carboxylate, or aldehyde, or X 1 and X 2 join together to form a C 4 to C 62 cyclic or polycyclic ring structure, provided however when M is trivalent X 2 is not present; wherein each of R* 1 and R* 2 independently comprises a bulky functional group, wherein the bulky functional group is selected from substituted or unsubstituted bulky aliphatic radicals having three carbons or more, bulky alicyclic radicals having three carbons or more, and/or bulky aromatic radicals having five carbons or more, each having a molecular size greater than or equal to an isopropyl moiety, an electron withdrawing group, wherein the electron withdrawing group comprises -NO 2, -CF 3, -CCl 3, -CBr 3, -Cl 3, -CN, -SO 3 H, -COOH, -CHO, -F, -Cl,-Br, -I, -COOR α, -COR α, -NR α 3 +, or a combination thereof, wherein each R α is independently hydrogen or a C 1 -C 20 alkyl radical, or a combination thereof, and wherein at least one of R* 1 and R* 2 independently comprises a cyclopentadienyl radical having the structure: wherein C* indicates an attachment carbon of the radical; a bulky functional group, wherein the bulky functional group is selected from substituted or unsubstituted bulky aliphatic radicals having three carbons or more, bulky alicyclic radicals having three carbons or more, and/or bulky aromatic radicals having five carbons or more, each having a molecular size greater than or equal to an isopropyl moiety, an electron withdrawing group, wherein the electron withdrawing group comprises -NO 2, -CF 3, -CCl 3, -CBr 3, -Cl 3, -CN, -SO 3 H, -COOH, -CHO, -F, -Cl,-Br, -I, -COOR α, -COR α, -NR α 3 +, or a combination thereof, wherein each R α is independently hydrogen or a C 1 -C 20 alkyl radical, or a combination thereof, and wherein at least one of R* 1 and R* 2 independently comprises a cyclopentadienyl radical having the structure: wherein C* indicates an attachment carbon of the radical; each R 1, R 2, R 3, R 4 R 5, R 6 R 8, R 9, R 10, R 11, R 12, R 13, R 14, R 15, R 16, and R 17 is, independently, hydrogen, a C 1- C 40 hydrocarbyl radical, a functional group, wherein the functional group is an amine, imide, amide, ether, alcohol, hydroxide, sulfide, sulfate, phosphide, halide, phosphonate, alkoxide, ester, carboxylate, or aldehyde, two or more of R 1, R 2, R 3, R 4, R 5, R 6, R 8, R 9, R 10, R 11, R 12, R 13, R 14, R 15, R 16, and R 17 independently join together to form a C 4 to C 62 cyclic or polycyclic ring structure, or a combination thereof; R 7 is a C 1- C 40 hydrocarbyl radical or a functional group, wherein the functional group is an amine, imide, amide, ether, alcohol, hydroxide, sulfide, sulfate, phosphide, halide, phosphonate, alkoxide, ester, carboxylate, or aldehyde; and Y is a divalent C 1 to C 20 hydrocarbyl radical.