The reaction of the benzene derived trisimidazolium salt [1](PF6)3 with [PdCl(allyl)]2 gave complex [2](PF6)3 featuring three Pd(allyl) moieties sandwiched between two tricarbene ligands, whereas the reaction of [1](PF6)3 with [M(Cp*)(Cl)2]2 (M = Ir, Rh) resulted in the formation of dinuclear MIII complexes [3]PF6 (M = Ir) and [4]PF6 (M = Rh) where each metal center is coordinated by an NHC donor and orthometallates the central phenyl ring. The remaining imidazolium group in [4]PF6 can be metallated with [Rh(Cp*)(Cl)2]2 to give the trinuclear triply orthometallated complex [5]. © 2013 The Royal Society of Chemistry.