Crystals of dimethyl[tris(N-methylimidazol-2-yl)methanol-N,N']gold(III) nitrate are monoclinic, P21/c, a 8.217(3), b 14.010(5), c 16.800(6) A, beta 101.93(3), Z 4. The cations have the ligand coordinated as an N,N'-bidentate to cis-Me2Au(III), giving square-planar geometry for gold, together with an uncoordinated N-methylimidazol-2-yl ring above the coordination plane.