A cocatalyst or cocatalyst component, including a compound corresponding to the formula: (A*+a)b(Z*J*j)−cd, wherein: A* is a cation of from 1 to 80 atoms, not counting hydrogen atoms, Z* is an anion group of from 1 to 50 atoms, not counting hydrogen atoms, containing two or more Lewis base sites; J* is a Lewis acid of from 1 to 80, not counting hydrogen atoms, coordinated to at least one Lewis base site, and optionally two or more such J* groups may be joined together in a moiety having multiple Lewis acidic functionality, j is from 2 to 12 and a, b, c, and d are integers from 1 to 3, with the proviso that a×b is equal to c×d, and provided further that one or more of A*, Z* or J* comprises a hydroxyl group or a polar group containing quiescent reactive functionality.