Quaterpyridine (qtpy) ligands have found significant applications as N-heterocyclic scaffolds in self-assembly processes, in particular the formation of various metallosupramolecular architectures, limited, however, by difficulties in their synthesis. Recent progress in the preparative organic and organometallic chemistry of polypyridines has resulted in the elimination of the most serious drawbacks concerning qtpy synthesis, consequently giving rise to a renewed interest in this class of compounds Herein, we endeavor to define the essential aspects of quaterpyridine chemistry and provide the reader with a perspective on the ways in which this field has begun to flourish.