Frost diagram helps to predict the different stability of all the oxidation states of a species.

It has the
advantage to give a more graphical description of the system, avoiding confusion originated by
Latimer diagram due to lack of additivity of the potential.

When a species undergoes redox reaction, there is a change in free energy ( ), which is
proportional to the standard reduction potential ( ).

th [1]

Or, th [2]

For construction of Frost diagram we need the free energy in terms of electron volts rather than
J/mol which can be obtained by deviding both sides of the above equation by Faraday’s constant.
Let’s see how to calculate.

E = 1.18 V,
Mn/Mn2+

G
Or, F
t 2 x 1.18 t 2.36 V
 It represents the stability of a particular o.s. of a species.
 The lowest value of , the greater is the stability i.e. the most stable states of an
element corresponds to a species that lie lowest in the diagram.
 h2+ and Mn(OH)2 are the most stable species in acidic and basic medium respectively.
 The slope of the line joining the adjacent points is equal to reduction potential.
 The steeper the line joining the two points, the higher the potential of reduction of the
corresponding couple.
 The species high on the right of the diagram will be strongly oxidising while those high on
the left will be strongly reducing.
 The species more thermodynamically stable will be found lower the diagram.
 If the species value sits below the line joining the species with the o.s. on either side of it,
those species likely to undergo com-proportionation.
 If the species value sits above the line joining the species with the o.s. on either side of it,
those species likely to undergo disproportionation.

2 h3+ h2+ + ht2

2 ht2t htt + ht2

 No information about rate.
Note
Frost diagram for water