A composition having a substantial or material absence of or no phosphorous and comprising a support material, a metal compound and either a hydrocarbon oil or a polar additive or a combination of both a hydrocarbon oil and polar additive. The polar additive has particularly defined properties including having a dipole moment of at least 0.45. The composition is useful in the hydroprocessing of hydrocarbon feedstocks, and it is especially useful in the hydrotreating of vacuum gas oils and petroleum resid feedstocks.