Deposition of conductive polymer and metallization of non-conductive substrates

The invention is directed to a process for metallizing a surface of a dielectric substrate with electrolytically plated copper metallization, the process comprising immersing the substrate into a catalyst composition comprising a precursor for forming an electrically conductive polymer on the surface of the dielectric substrate and a source of Mn(II) ions in an amount sufficient to provide an initial concentration of Mn (II) ions of at least about 0.85 g/L, to form an electrically conductive polymer on the surface of the dielectric substrate, and electrolytically depositing copper over said electrically conductive polymer.