Reactions of palladium(II) bis-isocyanide complexes cis-[PdCl2(CNR)(2)] (R = 2,6-Me2C6H3, 2-Me-6-ClC6H3) with an equimolar amount of chelating N,O-binucleophiles, 2-aminophenol and (2-aminophenyl)-methanol, in acetonitrile at room temperature in 24 h selectively afforded the corresponding open-chain monocarbene complexes. The complexation involved one isocyanide ligand and amino group of the aromatic amine. Neither bis(carbene) complexes (in the reactions with 4 equiv of the nucleophile under harsh conditions) nor C,O-chelate structures were detected. The isolated complexes were characterized by elemental analyses, IR, NMR, and mass spectra, and X-ray diffraction data.