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Various nitrile‐functionalized benzimidazol‐2‐ylidene carbene complexes of Hg(II) and Ag(I) were synthesized by the interaction of 1‐benzyl/1‐butyl‐3‐(cyano‐benzyl)‐3 H‐benzimidazol‐1‐ium mono/dihexafluorophosphate with Hg(OAc)2/Ag2O in acetonitrile. Two of the benzimidazolium salts were structurally characterized by single crystal X‐ray diffraction technique. Structures of reported compounds were characterized by 1 H, 13C NMR, FT‐IR, UV–visible spectroscopic techniques, and molar conductivity and elemental analyses. For bis‐benzimidazolium salt, dinuclear Hg(II)– and Ag(I)–carbene complexes were obtained. Nuclease activity and binding interactions of the synthesized benzimidazolium salts and their Ag(I)–carbene complexes with DNA were studied using agarose gel electrophoresis and, absorption spectroscopy and viscosity measurements, respectively. Ag(I)–carbene complexes showed higher DNA binding activity compared to their respective benzimidazolium salts. However, a benzimidazolium salt and two of the Ag(I) complexes showed remarkably higher nuclease activity both, in the presence and absence of an oxidizing agent. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.