In the solid state, the Tl(1) complex of 4-hydroxybenzoate (HB-), [Tl(HB)] (1), can be regarded as containing polymeric chains linked through 2 x eta(6) interactions of the TI atoms with phenyl groups from adjacent units. The thallium atoms contain close Tl-1... pi (aromatic) contacts, thus attaining a total hapticity of 16 with environments TlO4C12. The unusually high coordination number in the this compound may reflect the capacity of TI(I) to act as both a Lewis acid and a Lewis base.(c) 2007 Published by Elsevier B.V.