for example mercury oxide has neurotoxic properties but isn't organic so, it isn't soluble in lipids and so doesn't cross the blood brain barrier when ingested, however, methylmercury chloride is organic and soluble in lipids thus it can cross the blood brain barrier
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2$\begingroup$ Do you mean "lead" as in the element $\ce {Pb}$ or lead as e.g. in "hit to lead compound"? What do you plan to do with it (as you asked about how easy it would be to obtain) $\endgroup$– K_PNov 2, 2014 at 14:11
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$\begingroup$ i mean the element Pb, i am building octane generators and need tetraethyllead, but i am also researching the role of lead in such generators, since i am obsessed with health i want to establish a list of how different lead compounds affect the body.. $\endgroup$– user9603Nov 2, 2014 at 14:28
1 Answer
Tetraethyl lead (bp 180 °C) and tetramethyl lead (bp 110 °C) are easily resorbed through the lungs and the intact (!) skin. They pass the blood-brain barrier without any problems. The half-life for the elimination from the brain is about 500 days.
(Source: Günter Fred Fuhrmann, Toxikologie Für Naturwissenschaftler: Einführung in Die Theoretische und Spezielle Toxikologie, Springer-Verlag, 2006, p 209)
These compounds are neurotoxic and the literature is full of reported cases of intoxications and - sometimes - successful treatment, such as here.