Dinucleating compartmental ligands (2,6-bis(N-[(2-dimethylamino)ethyl]iminomethyl]-4-methylphenol (HL1) and 2-{N-[(2-dimethylamino)ethyl]iminomethyl)-6-{N-methyl-N-[2-(dimethylamino)ethyl]aminomethyl)-4-methylphenol (HL2)) have afforded the following dinuclear nickel(II) complexes: [Ni-2(L-1)(OH)(py)(H2O)I(ClO4)(2)center dot H2O (1), [Ni-2(L-2)(OH)(MeOH)(H2O)](ClO4)(2)center dot CH3CN (2), and [Ni-2(L-2)(OH)(dmf)(2)](ClO4)(2) (3). X-ray crystallographic studies for 1 and 3 have clarified mu-hydroxo-mu-phenolato dinuclear structure in a mixed-spin state with one pseudo octahedral Ni(11) (S = 1) and one planar Ni(11) (S = 0). The urea adducts, [Ni-2(L-1)(OH)(urea)(H2O*ClO4)(2) center dot H2O (F) and [Ni-2(L-2)(OH)(urea)(H2O)](ClO4)(2) (T), were prepared by the reaction of I and 2 with urea, respectively, and were structurally characterized to be in the mixed-spin state. The relevance of 1' and 2' to urease is discussed.