Also disclosed herein is a process for the production of linear alpha olefins by contacting ethylene with a nickel compound of the formula DAB!NiX2 wherein DAB is a selected α diimine and {HEAD ~ X} is chlorine, bromine, iodine or alkyl, and a selected Lewis or {TAIL ~ Bronsted acid}, or by contacting ethylene with other selected α diimine nickel complexes 
is
Also disclosed herein is a process for the production of linear alpha olefins by contacting ethylene with a nickel compound of the formula DAB!NiX2 wherein DAB is a selected α diimine and { HEAD ~ X } is chlorine , bromine , iodine or alkyl , and a selected Lewis or { TAIL ~ Bronsted acid } , or by contacting ethylene with other selected α diimine nickel complexes
OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH HEAD HEAD HEAD HEAD HEAD REL OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH TAIL TAIL TAIL TAIL TAIL TAIL OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH