Aqueous redox chemistry:

Oxidation State (Frost) diagrams. 

For the reaction of element X in formal oxidation state n,
 
X(n) + ne-  X(0)  DGo  nFEo
 
If DGo/F is plotted against the formal oxidation states, the higher the value the less stable,
ie. more oxidizing, the species will be.
 
 
For nitrogen at aH+ = 1
NO3- + 6H+ + 5e-  1/2N2 + 3H2O Eo = 1.25V
1/2N2O4 + 4H+ + 4e-  1/2N2 + 2H2O Eo = 1.36V
HNO2 + 3H+ + 3e-  1/2N2 + 2H2O Eo = 1.45V
NO + 2H+ + 2e-  1/2N2 + H2O Eo = 1.68V
1/2N2O + H+ + e-  1/2N2 + 1/2H2 Eo = 1.77V
1/2N2 + 2H+ H2O + e-  NH3OH+ Eo = -1.87V
1/2N2 + 5/2H+ + 2e-  1/2N2H5+ Eo = -0.23V
1/2N2 + 4H+ + 3e-  NH4+ Eo = 0.27V
 
 
With Go/F in units of volts and defining DGo as per mol of nitrogen atoms, the coordinates will be:
 
N(V)
NO3-
5x1.25, 5
N(IV)
N2O4
4x1.36, 4
N(III)
HNO2
3x1.35, 3
N(II)
NO
2x1.68, 2
N(I)
N2O
1x1.77, 1
N(-I)
NH3OH+
-1x(-1.87), -1
N(-II)
N2H5+
-2x(-0.23), -2
N(-III)
NH4+
-3x0.27, -3
 
 
A plot of DGo/F against the formal oxidation state is called an oxidation state diagram
very useful for comparative chemistry in aqueous solution.
 
 
Figure 2: The oxidation state diagram of nitrogen and phosphorus in acidic conditions.