The synthesis and characterization of novel ionic liquid crystals displaying columnar mesomorphism induced upon complexation of 2,2'-bipyridine-4,4'disubstituted ligands (L-n) are reported. A tetracoordination around the silver(I) centre has been obtained for the first time in metallomesogens based on chelated bipyridine ligands. The molecular organization in the mesophase for these [Ag(L-n)(2)][OTf] derivatives is strongly dependent on the coordination and ionic bonds which drive the supramolecular assembly.