A chromium carboxylate composition, the chromium carboxylate comprising a C 3 to C 25 carboxylate having the formula - O 2 CR 2c where R 2c is C 2 to C 24 hydrocarbyl obtainable by the process comprising: contacting under substantially anhydrous and substantially acid-free conditions 1) a transition metal precursor having the formula (M B) y1 X x1 L λ where M B is Cr in the +3 oxidation state; each X independently is an anionic ligand having charge y where each X is independently a halide, nitrate, sulfate, or phosphate; each L independently is a C 2 -C 40 ether, a C 2 -C 40 thioether, a C 2 -C 20 nitrile, a C 1 -C 60 amine, a C 3 -C 60 phosphine; λ is an integer from 0 to 7; and x * y 1 = | y * x 1 |, 2) a Group 1 or Group 2 metal C 3 -C 25 carboxylate having the formula M A (O 2 CR 2c) s, where M A represents the Group 1 or Group 2 metal, O 2 CR 2c represents a monocarboxylate group, s represents the oxidation number of the Group 1 or Group 2 metal, and R 2c is a C 2 to C 24 hydrocarbyl group, and 3) a first solvent comprising a C 2 -C 40 ether, a C 2 -C 40 thioether, a C 2 -C 20 nitrile, a C 1 -C 60 amine, a C 3 -C 60 phosphine, or any combination thereof to form the chromium carboxylate comprising a C 3 to C 25 carboxylate having the formula - O 2 CR 2c where R 2c is C 2 to C 24 hydrocarbyl, wherein substantially anhydrous and substantially acid-free conditions refers to conditions where the amount of water is less than or equal to 100 ppm (by weight) and the amount of acid is less than or equal to 1000 ppm (by weight) acid. contacting under substantially anhydrous and substantially acid-free conditions 1) a transition metal precursor having the formula (M B) y1 X x1 L λ where M B is Cr in the +3 oxidation state; each X independently is an anionic ligand having charge y where each X is independently a halide, nitrate, sulfate, or phosphate; each L independently is a C 2 -C 40 ether, a C 2 -C 40 thioether, a C 2 -C 20 nitrile, a C 1 -C 60 amine, a C 3 -C 60 phosphine; λ is an integer from 0 to 7; and x * y 1 = | y * x 1 |, 2) a Group 1 or Group 2 metal C 3 -C 25 carboxylate having the formula M A (O 2 CR 2c) s, where M A represents the Group 1 or Group 2 metal, O 2 CR 2c represents a monocarboxylate group, s represents the oxidation number of the Group 1 or Group 2 metal, and R 2c is a C 2 to C 24 hydrocarbyl group, and 3) a first solvent comprising a C 2 -C 40 ether, a C 2 -C 40 thioether, a C 2 -C 20 nitrile, a C 1 -C 60 amine, a C 3 -C 60 phosphine, or any combination thereof 1) a transition metal precursor having the formula (M B) y1 X x1 L λ where M B is Cr in the +3 oxidation state; each X independently is an anionic ligand having charge y where each X is independently a halide, nitrate, sulfate, or phosphate; each L independently is a C 2 -C 40 ether, a C 2 -C 40 thioether, a C 2 -C 20 nitrile, a C 1 -C 60 amine, a C 3 -C 60 phosphine; λ is an integer from 0 to 7; and x * y 1 = | y * x 1 |, M B is Cr in the +3 oxidation state; each X independently is an anionic ligand having charge y where each X is independently a halide, nitrate, sulfate, or phosphate; each L independently is a C 2 -C 40 ether, a C 2 -C 40 thioether, a C 2 -C 20 nitrile, a C 1 -C 60 amine, a C 3 -C 60 phosphine; λ is an integer from 0 to 7; and x * y 1 = | y * x 1 |, 2) a Group 1 or Group 2 metal C 3 -C 25 carboxylate having the formula M A (O 2 CR 2c) s, where M A represents the Group 1 or Group 2 metal, O 2 CR 2c represents a monocarboxylate group, s represents the oxidation number of the Group 1 or Group 2 metal, and R 2c is a C 2 to C 24 hydrocarbyl group, and 3) a first solvent comprising a C 2 -C 40 ether, a C 2 -C 40 thioether, a C 2 -C 20 nitrile, a C 1 -C 60 amine, a C 3 -C 60 phosphine, or any combination thereof to form the chromium carboxylate comprising a C 3 to C 25 carboxylate having the formula - O 2 CR 2c where R 2c is C 2 to C 24 hydrocarbyl, wherein substantially anhydrous and substantially acid-free conditions refers to conditions where the amount of water is less than or equal to 100 ppm (by weight) and the amount of acid is less than or equal to 1000 ppm (by weight) acid.