Nickel oxide was prepared by the decomposition of nickel hydroxide and then the nickel oxide was reduced to form the nickel catalyst. The properties of the nickel oxide and the reduced nickel were studied in relation to the enantio-differentiating ability (e.d.a.) of a tartaric acid-NaBr-modified reduced nickel catalyst. The modified nickel catalyst prepared from nickel oxide with less non-stoichiometric oxygen produced a high e.d.a. for the hydrogenation of methyl acetoacetate. The high crystallinity of the nickel oxide and the resultant nickel would be required to attain a high e.d.a.