The invention provides a bipyridine derivative useful as an intermediate for pharmaceutical products, agricultural chemicals, electrophotographic photosensitive materials, dyes and the like, which is a bipyridine derivative represented by the general formula (I) and a salt thereof: ##STR00001## wherein R1 represents an alkyl group with 2 to 20 carbon atoms having a substituent, substituted or unsubstituted aminomethyl group, trifluoromethyl group, substituted or unsubstituted thiomethyl group, substituted or unsubstituted alkenyl group, substituted or unsubstituted alkoxy group, substituted or unsubstituted aryloxy group, substituted carbonyl group, substituted sulfonyl group, unsubstituted or monosubstituted carbamoyl group, unsubstituted or monosubstituted sulfamoyl group, substituted or unsubstituted thiol group, unsubstituted or monosubstituted amino group, substituted carbonylamino group, substituted or unsubstituted ureido group, nitro group, cyano group, formyl group or an equivalent thereof, iodine atom or fluorine atom.