New ruthenium(II) N-heterocyclic carbene complexes of the general formula [ArCH2(VIm)RuCl2(p-cymene)] (VIm = vinylimidazole; Ar = mesitylene (5) or napthalene (6)) are obtained from the transmetallation reaction between [MesCH2(VIm)AgBr] (Mes = mesitylene (3)) or [NpCH2(VIm)AgCl] (Np = napthalene (4)) and [(p-cymene)RuCl2]2. The silver carbene complexes (3) and (4) are synthesized from the direct reaction between the corresponding π-functionalized imidazolium salts, [MesCH2(VIm)Br] (1) or [NpCH2(VIm)Cl] (2), with silver oxide in good yield. The compounds (1), (2), (5) and (6) are characterized by elemental analysis, FT-IR and multinuclear (1H and 13C) NMR spectroscopy. Furthermore, ligand (1) is characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction technique. The coordination mode and possible olefin-Ru π-interaction in (5) and (6) are investigated. The complexes (5) and (6) are stable and soluble in dichloromethane and chloroform. Compounds (5) and (6) are catalytically active towards the hydrogen transfer reactions.