The adaptability of three acyclic tetradentate ligands with the -CHR-CHR- (R = H or alkyl substituent) linker in the backbone: bis(α-iminopyridine) L1 and the reduced form L2 and diaminodiphosphine L3 to stabilize various stannylenes has been explored. The reaction of L1 with two equivalents of Sn[N(SiMe3)2]2 led to the stabilization of a bisstannylene 1 through the ene-amide transformation of L1. The reaction of bisstannylene 1 with B(C6F5)3 and silver trifluoromethane sulfonate led to the formation of ligand stabilized Sn(ii) dications 2 and 3 respectively. A mixture of Sn(ii) dication 3 and a Sn(ii) monocation 4 has been obtained from the reaction between 1 and trimethylsilyl trifluoromethane sulfonate. A 1 : 1 stoichiometric reaction between L3 and Sn[N(SiMe3)2]2 led to the isolation of a dimeric monostannylene 5 having a step-like structure with a Sn2N2 central ring. The reaction of L2 with Sn[N(SiMe3)2]2 underwent an electron transfer reaction ultimately leading to bis(α-iminopyridine) isolation.