[4] According to X-ray crystallography, anhydrous holmium acetate is a coordination polymer.

Each Ho(III) center is nine-coordinate, with two bidentate acetate ligands and the remaining sites occupied by oxygens provided by bridging acetate ligands.

The lanthanum and praseodymium compounds are isostructural.

[5] Holmium acetate is used in the manufacture of ceramics, glass, phosphors, metal halide lamps, and as a dopant in garnet lasers.

It is also used in nuclear reactors to keep the chain reaction in check.