The reaction of Ni(OAc) 2 with the benzimidazolium salts 1,3-dimethylbenzimidazolium iodide (1), 1,3-bis(2-propenyl)benzimidazolium bromide (2), 1,3-dipropylbenzimidazolium bromide (3), 1-(2propenyl)-3-methylbenzimidazolium bromide ( 6), and 1-propyl-3-methylbenzimidazolium iodide (7) in molten [Bu 4 N]X (X ) Br, I, BF 4 ) as ionic liquid afforded novel square-planar nickel(II) bis(benzimidazolin-2-ylidene) complexes of the general formula trans-[NiX 2 (NHC) 2 ] (X ) I, NHC ) 1,3-dimethylbenzimidazolin-2-ylidene, 8; X ) Br, NHC ) 1,3-bis(2-propenyl)benzimidazolin-2-ylidene, 9; X ) Br, NHC ) 1,3-dipropylbenzimidazolin-2-ylidene, 10; X ) Br, NHC ) 1-(2-propenyl)-3-methylbenzimidazolin-2-ylidene, 11; X ) I, NHC ) 1-propyl-3-methylbenzimidazolin-2-ylidene, 12). X-ray diffraction studies of 8-12 reveal a square-planar coordination geometry for all complexes with the carbene ligands arranged in a trans fashion.