Properties | More Info | Isotopes | Spectra
Compounds | Reactions | Production
Atomic: M.A.C. | Reference
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Reactions of Thallium
Reactions with water
Thallium tarnishes slowly in moist air or dissolves in water to yield poisonous thallium(I) hydroxide.
  2Tl(s) + 2H2O(l)2TlOH(aq) + H2(g)
Reactions with air
An oxide layer protects thallium form further reaction with air. When heated strongly in air the poisonous thallium(I) oxide is formed.
  2Tl(s) + O2(g)Tl2O(s)
Reactions with halogens
Thallium reacts vigorously with fluorine, chlorine and bromine to form poisonous dihalides.
  2Tl(s) + 3F2(g)2TlF3(s)
  2Tl(s) + 3Cl2(g)2TlCl3(s)
  2Tl(s) + 3Br2(l)2TlBr3(s)
Reactions with acids
Thallium dissolves slowly in sulphuric acid and hydrochloric acid as the product, poisonous thallium(I) salts, are not vey soluble.
 
Reduction Potentials
Balanced half-reaction E0 / V
Tl3+ + 2e-Tl+ +1.25
Tl+ + e-Tl(s) -0.336
Tl2O3 + 3H2O + 4e-2Tl+ + 6OH- +0.02
TlOH + e-Tl(s) + OH- -0.344
TlCl(s) + e-Tl(s) + Cl- -0.557
TlBr(s) + e-Tl(s) + Br- -0.657
TlI(s) + e-Tl(s) + I- -0.766