Four -ketoimine ligands (two series) were prepared through traditional condensation reactions of -diketones with 2,6-substituted anilines. Reaction took place only at the cyclohexanone carbonyl rather than at the acetyl or benzoyl carbonyl, even if more than two equivalents of the amines were added. Consequently, four new moisture-and air-stable bis(-ketoamino)nickel(II) complexes, Ni[2-CH 3 C(O)C 6 H 8 (¼NAr)] 2 (Ar ¼ 2, 6-iPr 2 C 6 H 3 , (1); Ar ¼ 2, 6-Me 2 C 6 H 3 , (2) and Ni[2-PhC(O)C 6 H 8 (¼NAr)] 2 (Ar ¼ 2, 6-iPr 2 C 6 H 3 , (3); Ar ¼ 2, 6-Me 2 C 6 H 3 , (4) were obtained and characterized. The solid-state structures of complex 1, 2 and 3 have been determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Additionally, these complexes can be applied as highly active catalyst precursors for vinyl polymerization of norbornene (NBE) after activation with methylaluminoxane (MAO).