1-Hydroxyimidazole-3-oxides (2-H, 2-Me) were alkylated with (RO)2SO2 (R =Me, Et) to give the new 1,3-di(alkyloxy)imidazolium cations which were isolated as hexafluorophosphates. Ion metathesis yielded new hydrophobic ionic liquids (bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imides, tris(pentafluoroethyl) trifluorophosphates). Bromination afforded 2-bromo derivatives which were converted to Ni and Pd N-heterocyclic carbene complexes by oxidative insertion. Fifteen crystal structures were determined by X-ray diffraction. The N-alkyloxy groups are twisted out of the imidazole ring plane and adopt either syn or anti conformations in the solid state.