This invention relates to a method to oligomerize ethylene comprising combining ethylene with a catalyst system comprising an activator and one or more phenoxide group metal compounds represented by the formula: 1 wherein R3, R4, R5, R8, R9 and R10 may each independently be hydrogen, a halogen, a heteroatom containing group or a C1 to C100 group, provided that at least one of these groups has a Hammett nullp value (Hansch, et al Chem. Rev. 1991, 91, 165) greater than 0.20; R2 and R7 may each independently be alkyl, aryl or silyl groups; R1 and R6 may each independently be an alkyl group, an aryl group, an alkoxy group, or an amino group; N is nitrogen; H is hydrogen; O is oxygen; M is a group 4 transition metal; and each X may each independently be an anionic ligand or a dianionic ligand.