Silica-supported nickel complexes were shown to catalyze propene dimerization (flow reactor; flow-rate = 5 cm(3)/min; pressure = 4 bars and temperature = 45 degrees C). A reaction pathway based on the concerted coupling mechanism is proposed. In this work, a computer simulation of the propene conversion-time profile supports this reaction pathway and provides the kinetic parameters. The latter are discussed in terms of active site structure.