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Chelating properties of C2-symmetric chiral bipyridine ligands are discussed. In particular we report the syntheses of the cobalt(II), nickel(II), zinc(II) and copper(II) complexes of (4S,5S)-2,2-dimethyl-4,5-bis(2-pyridyl)-1,3-dioxolane. All compounds have been characterized by IR spectroscopy, and an X-ray diffraction analysis has been carried out on one of them: Co(L)(NO3)2. The ligand coordinates the cobalt atom by the two nitrogen donors N(1) and N(2). A seven-membered chelation ring is formed, presenting a remarkable non-crystallographic twofold pseudosymmetry around the axis connecting Co and the midpoint of the C(6)–C(7) bond. The metal also binds two monodentate nitrates, thus completing a distorted coordination tetrahedron.