Cyclometallated NHC palladium complexes prepared from palladium(II) acetate [Pd(OAc)2] and unsymmetrical 1,3‐diarylimidazolinium salts catalyzed the hydroxymethylation of (hetero)arylboronic acids using an excess amount of formalin to afford (hetero)arylmethanols in good to satisfactory yields.