-The reactions of Schiffs' bases, hydrazones, 2,3-diazabutadienes and 2-azabutadienes with butadiene or activated monoenes in the presence of nickel catalysts lead to new classes of compounds, which are isolated as mixtures of isomers. The ratio of the isomer distribution can be controlled inside wide limits by variation of the nickel ligands and the reaction parameters. A comparison with the nickel-catalysed oligomerisation of butadiene or the cooligomerisation of butadiene with mono-olef ins shows that the reaction products in the two cases are not analogous.