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How to know if a species would disproportionate from a latimer diagram
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A Latimer diagram shows the standard reduction potentials for various oxidation states of an element. To determine if a species will disproportionate, look for a species in the diagram where the reduction potential for the species to the left is more positive than the reduction potential for the species to the right. If this condition is met, the middle species is thermodynamically unstable and will disproportionate into the species on either side. For example, in the Latimer diagram for manganese in acidic solution, Mn(III) has a more positive reduction potential to Mn(II) than to Mn(IV), indicating that Mn(III) will disproportionate into Mn(II) and Mn(IV).
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