N-Adamantyl-2-aminopyridines (HL) readily form C₂-symmetric aminopyridinato complexes with zirconium [ZrL₂X₂] (X = Cl, NMe₂, CH₂Ph, CH₂Bu^t) which are stable with respect to ligand redistribution and lead to catalysts for ethylene polymerisation with similar productivity to the related [Zr(benzamidinate)₂X₂] system.