1. Reaction mechanisms can be determined through various methods like identifying products, detecting intermediates through isolation, trapping or labeling studies, studying the effects of catalysts and acids, and performing kinetic studies.
2. Isotope labeling and crossover experiments involve using isotopically labeled reactants to determine whether reaction pathways are intra- or intermolecular. Kinetic isotope effects also provide information about which bonds are broken or formed in the rate-determining step.
3. Acid and base catalysis can indicate whether proton transfer is involved in the rate-determining step. General acid catalysis means proton transfer is rate-determining while specific catalysis means it is not.