The use of ultraviolet/visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis) for the prediction of metallocene catalyst potential for the polymerisation of olefins is described. Upon addition of methylaluminoxane (MAO) to rac-[C2H4(1-indenyl)(2)ZrCl2] ([Al]/[Zr] = 200) the ligand-to-metal charge transfer band shows a hypsochromic shift while a bathochromic shift is observed when more MAO is added ([Al]/[Zr] = 2000). These shifts can be explained by assuming that methylation of the zirconocene by MAO occurs in the case of [Al]/[Zr] = 200 while a cationic complex, the active catalytic system, is formed upon addition of more MAO, e.g., [Al]/[Zr] = 2000.