Crystal structure halide valency

In its covalent compounds thallium shows no reluctance to utilizing the two 6s electrons for bond formation. Indeed monoalkyl derivatives Tl(Alk) in which the valence group would be (2, 2) are not known, whereas trialkyls (valence group 6) are known and the most stable alkyl derivatives are the dialkyl halides such as [T1(CH3)2]I. These are ionic compounds-[T1(CH3)2] OH being a strong base—and in the Tl(Alk)2 ions the thallium atom has the same outer electronic structure as mercury in CH3-Hg-CH3, viz. (4). Accordingly the (CH3-T1-CH3) ion is linear, as shown by the determination of the crystal structure of Tl(CH3)2l. In molecules such as Tl(Alk)2A, where A represents a molecule of a /3-diketone, T1 apparently has the valence group (8). 

Baernighausen, H., 1976b, Mixed Valence Rare Earth Halides and Their Unusual Crystal Structures, in Proceedings of the Twelfth Rare Earth Research Conference, Vail, Colorado, pp. 404-413. 

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