The imidazolium salts: 1-mesityl-3-(3-trimethoxysilylpropyl) imidazolium iodide and 1-tert- butyl-3-(3-trimethoxysilylpropyl) imidazolium iodide, abbreviated as (tmpMes) HI (3a) and (tmptBu) HI (3b), respectively, have been synthesised. The palladium (II) complexes (η3- C3H5)(tmpMes) PdCl (5a) and (η3-C3H5)(tmptBu) PdCl (5b), rhodium (I) and iridium (I) complexes (η4-1, 5-COD)(tmpMes) MCl, M= Rh (6a), Ir (7a) and (η4-1, 5-COD)(tmptBu) ...