preferably from 10 to 12 the particular ph employed depends in part upon the choice of metal salt for example when a copper salt is used in the present compositions a particularly suitable ph range is from about 7 5 to about 8 0 the base may be added to the formed catalyst composition or admixed with other catalyst components during make up of the composition the present compositions may be prepared by combining the one or more metal salts one or more organic acids one or more organic binders and one or more reducing agents and if employed one or more separate basic components in any order typically the present compositions are prepared in water but may be prepared in one or more organic solvents or in a mixture of water with one or more organic solvents such organic solvents may include but are not limited to polyhydroxy compounds such as alkanediols and alkanetriols glycol ethers glycol ether acetates and the like alkanediols include c 1 c 24 alkanediols such as glycols such as ethylene glycol propylene glycol and the like exemplary glycol ethers include ethylene glycol monomethyl ether ethylene glycol monobutyl ether diethylene glycol monomethyl ether diethylene glycol monobutyl ether triethylene glycol monomethyl ether triethylene glycol monobutyl ether diethylene glycol dimethyl ether diethylene glycol dibutyl ether propylene glycol monomethyl ether propylene glycol monobutyl ether dipropylene.