Five new homoleptic [NiX4](2-) compounds have been prepared with the fluorinated ligands OC6F5 (OArF), OC6H3(CF3)(2) (OAr'), and OC4F9 (ORF) and characterized with X-ray crystallography, magnetic susceptibility, and elemental analysis. Electronic spectral studies show that these ligands engender a ligand-field environment similar to that of fluoride and thus act electronically like fluoride, but with none of the drawbacks of F- as a transition-metal ligand.