The cobalt-catalysed benzannulation of 2-pyridine-substituted enynes gave 2,3-bis(2-pyridyl)styrenes in moderate yields. The reaction with dibromomethane as well as diiodomethane generated the corresponding planar-chiral bispyridinium salts in good yields. On the other hand, the transformations with reagents of the type RCHBr2 to afford diastereomeric products led to the desired conversion. However