Using the dinucleating phenol-based ligand 2,6-bis [3-(pyridin-2-yl)pyrazol-1-ylmethyl]-4-methylphenol] (HL2) in its deprotonated form, the six new dinuclear complexes [M-2(II)(L-2)-(mu-O2CMe)(2)(MeCN)(2)][PF6] (M = Mn (2a), Co (3a), Zn (4a)) and [M-2(II)(L-2)(mu-O2CMe)(2)(MeCN)(2)][BPh4] (M = Mn (2b), Co (3b), Zn (4b)) have been synthesized. Crystallographic analyses on 2b.2MeCN, 3b.2MeCN, and 4b.2MeCN reveal that these complexes have dosely similar mu-phenoxo bis(mu-carboxylato) structures. The physicochemical properties (absorption and ESI-MS spectral data, 2a,b, 3a,b, and 4a,b; H-1 NMR, 4a,b) of the cations of 2a-4a are identical with those of 2b-4b. Each metal ion is terminally coordinated by a pyrazole nitrogen and a pyridyl nitrogen from a 3-(pyridin-2-yl)pyrazole unit and a solvent molecule (MeCN). Thus, each metal center assumes distorted-octahedral (MN3O3)-N-II coordination. Temperature-dependent magnetic studies on Mn-II and Co-II dimers reveal the presence of intramolecular antiferromagnetic (J = -8.5 cm(-1)) for 2b and ferromagnetic exchange coupling (J = +2.51 cm(-1)) for 3b, on the basis of the Hamiltonian H = -JS(1).S-2. The exchange mechanism is discussed on the basis of magneto-structural parameters (M center dot center dot center dot M distance). Spectroscopic properties of the complexes have also been investigated. The pH titration and kinetics of phosphatase (transesterification) activity on 2-hydroxypropyl-p-nirophenylphosphate (HPNP) were studied in MeOH/H2O (33%, v/v) with 2a-4a, due to solubility reasons. This comparative kinetic study revealed the effect of the metal ion on the rate of hydrolysis of HPNP, which has been compared with what we recently reported for [Ni-2(II)(L-2)(mu-O2CMe)(2)(MeOH)(H2O)][ClO4] (la). The efficacy in the order of conversion of substrate to product (p-nitrophenolate ion) follows the order 4a > 3a > 2a > la, under identical experimental conditions. Notably, this trend follows the decrease of plc values of M-II-coordinated water (7.95 +/- 0.04 and 8.78 +/- 0.03 for 1a, 7.67 +/- 0.08 and 8.69 +/- 0.06 for 2a, 7.09 +/- 0.05 and 8.05 +/- 0.06 for 3a, and 6.20 +/- 0.04 and 6.80 +/- 0.03 for 4a). In this work we demonstrate that the stronger the Lewis acidity (Z(eff)/r) of the metal ion, the more acidic is the M-II-coordinated water and the greater is the propensity of the metal ion to catalyze hydrolysis of the activated phosphate ester HPNP. Notably, the observed k(2) values (M-1 s(-1)) for Mn-II (2a, 0.152), Co-II (3a, 0.208), and Zn-II (4a, 0.230) complexes (1a, 0.058; already reported) linearly correlate with Zeff/r values of the metal ion. In each case a pseudo-first-order kinetic treatment has been done. Kinetic data analysis of complexes 2a-4a were also done following Michaelis-Menten treatment (catalytic efficiency k(cat)/K-M values 0.170 M-1 s(-1) for 2a, 0.194 M-1 s(-1) for 3a and 0.161 M-1 s(-1) for 4a; for 1a the value is 0.089 M-1 s(-1)). Temperature-dependent measurements were done to evaluate kinetic/thermodynamic parameters for the hydrolysis/transesterification of HPNP and yielded comparable activation parameters (E-a (kJ mol(-1)): 71.00 +/- 4.60 (1a; reported), 67.95 +/- 5.71 (2a), 62.60 +/- 4.46 (3a), 67.80 +/- 3.25 (4a)) and enthalpy/entropy of activation values (Delta H-double dagger (kJ mol(-1)) = 68.00 +/- 4.65 (1a; reported), 65.40 +/- 5.72 (2a), 60.00 +/- 4.47 (3a), 65.29 +/- 3.26 (4a); Delta S-double dagger (J mol(-1) K-1) = 109.00 +/- 13 (1a; reported), -107.30 +/- 16 (2a), -122.54 +/- 14 (3a), -104.67 +/- 10 (4a)). The Ea values for all the complexes are comparable, suggesting a closely similar reaction barrier, meaning thereby similar course of reaction. The Delta S-double dagger values are consistent with an associative process. Positive Delta H-double dagger values correspond to bond breaking of the activated complex as a result of nucleophilic attack at the phosphorus atom, releasing cyclic phosphate and p-nitrophenolate ion. These data have helped us to propose a common mechanistic pathway: deprotonation of a metal-bound species to form the effective nucleophile, binding of the substrate to the metal center(s), intramolecular nucleophilic attack on the electrophilic phosphorus atom with the release of the leaving group, and possibly regeneration of the catalyst.