Reaction of the N,N'-diisobutyl-substituted benzannulated N-heterocyclic plumbylene (NHPb) 1 with [Pd(PPh3)(4)] and [Pt(PPh3)(4)] gave the complexes [M(NHPb)-(PPh3)(3)] (M = Pd [2], Pt [3]). X-ray diffraction studies of both complexes showed an angle of similar to 125 degrees between the plumbylene plane and the transition-metal-Pb axis, indicating coordination of the transition metal to the empty pi orbital of the plumbylene Pb atom. The experimentally determined metric parameters of complexes [2] and [3] are discussed on the basis of DFT calculations.