Two imidazole groups act together to catalyze the hydrolysis of the phosphodiester bis (2-(1- methyl-1 H-imidazolyl) phenyl) phosphate (BMIPP). A full investigation involving searching computational and electrospray ionization (ESI-MS-/MS) and ultra mass spectrometry (LTQ- FT) experiments made possible a choice between two kinetically equivalent mechanisms. The preferred pathway, involving intramolecular nucleophilic catalysis by imidazole, ...
