Oxidizing agents nitrogen oxoacids

The redox chemistry of nitrogen compounds in aqueous solution is illustrated in the Frost diagram in Fig. 1 (see Topic E5 for construction and use). All oxides and oxoacids are strong oxidizing agents, and all oxidation states except -3, 0 and +5 are susceptible to disproportionation. The detailed reactions are, however, mostly controlled by kinetic rather than thermodynamic considerations. In conjunction with oxidizable groups, as in ammonium nitrate NH4N03 or in... 

Nitric acid is the most stable and important of the nitrogen oxoacids however, the pure acid decomposes on heating to yield a mixture of oxides, one of which is the brown gas NO2. A powerful oxidizing agent, HNO3 reacts with a host of metals and nonmetals. 

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