Nickel (II) bis(dimethylglyoximate) [Ni(dmg)2] (and for comparison Ni(thd)2, nickel (II) N,N'-ethylenebis(2,4-pentandioniminoate [Ni(enacac)], and nickel (II) bis(2-amino-pent-2-en-4-onato) [Ni(apo)2], was synthesized and characterized as potential precursors for the growth of metallic Ni films by MOCVD.