Thallium(III) acetate

Thallium(III) acetate  is the acetate salt of thallium, with the chemical formula Tl(CH3COO)3. As a selective culture medium in microbiology, thallium acetate is toxic, but it can also be used as a hair loss agent. Koremlu, a depilatory that contained the rat poison Thallium acetate was widely marketed during th 1930s. Women who suffered the side effects of the popular product sued the company forcing it to bankruptcy in 1932. A dose of 8 mg/kg will cause acute poisoning, and the minimum lethal dose for adults is 12 mg/kg.

Preparation
Thallium acetate can be obtained by reacting 80% acetic acid with thallium(III) oxide, and the product crystallizes in acetic anhydride.

Properties
Anhydrous thallium(III) acetate crystallises in the monoclinic system with space group C2/c. The unit cell dimensions are a = 15.54 Å b = 8.630 Å and c = 7.848 Å with β = 113.92°. There are four formula per unit cell. and density is 2.57. Three acetate ions are chellated to each thallium ion.

Thallium(III) acetate monohydrate also crystallises in the monoclinic system with space group C2/c, a = 9.311 Å, b = 14.341 Å, c = 9.198 Å, β = 119.69 °. Unit cell volume is V = 1067.0 Å3 Z = 4, density is 2.49.