Oxidative addition of donor-functionalised 4-iodoimidazolium salts to palladium(0) provides a selective route for the preparation of abnormal chelating N-heterocyclic carbene complexes and enables the introduction of a variety of donor groups. The activation of the C4 position does not necessitate protection of the imidazolium C2 position, thereby leaving this site available for further modification. While metallation of the unsubstituted C2 position of the N-heterocyclic carbene ligand was unsuccessful when palladium was bound to the C4 carbon atom, sequential metallation of first the C2 position, by means of transmetallation, followed by C4–I oxidative addition, afforded a dimetallic complex comprised of two palladium centres bridged by a single NHC ligand.