The work in this report describes the syntheses, characterization, crystal structures and magnetic properties of eight linear trinickel(ii) compounds of the composition [Ni(II)3(L(sal-pyr))2(propionate)4] (), [Ni(II)3(L(sal-pyr))2(benzoate)4]·CH3CN (), [Ni(II)3(L(sal-pip))2(acetate)4]·2CH3CN (), [Ni(II)3(L(sal-pip))2(propionate)4] (), [Ni(II)3(L(sal-pip))2(benzoate)4]·CH2Cl2 (), [Ni(II)3(L(sal-mor))2(propionate)4] (), [Ni(II)3(L(sal-mor))2(benzoate)4]·3CH2Cl2 () and [Ni(II)3(L(sal-mor))2(o-Cl-benzoate)4]·2CH3CN·2H2O (), where HL(sal-pyr), HL(sal-pip) and HL(sal-mor) are the 1 : 1 condensation products of salicylaldehyde and 1-(2-aminoethyl)-pyrrolidine, 1-(2-aminoethyl)-piperidine and 4-(2-aminoethyl)-morpholine, respectively. One-half of the trinuclear core in each complex is symmetry related to the second part due to the presence of an inversion centre on the central metal ion and so the terminal nickelcentral nickelterminal nickel angle is 180°. The terminal and central nickel(ii) ions are triply bridged by a phenoxo, a μ1,1-carboxylato and a μ1,3-carboxylato moiety. The μ1,1-carboxylato also acts as a chelating ligand for the terminal metal ion. Both the variable-temperature (2-300 K) susceptibilities at a fixed field strength of 0.1 T and variable-field (up to 7 T) magnetization at different fixed temperatures (2-10 K) were recorded. The magnetic data indicate the ferromagnetic interaction in all the cases with J (Ĥ = -2Jij∑SiSj) values ranging between 2.37 and 3.89 cm(-1) and the single-ion zero-field parameter (D) ranging between 7.21 and 8.94 cm(-1). Satisfactorily simulation of both the χMT vs. T and M vs. H data has been obtained. Comparison of the structures and magnetic properties of compounds with those of the previously published related systems reveals some interesting aspects.