TBR: (Non)Covalent Bonds in Acid-Base Reactions

[justadream]

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I'm referring to the Lysozyme Mechanism passage IX (page 149 in TBR Biology Part II) #57.

The question asks whether the acid-base mechanism that a lysozyme goes through is covalent or non-covalent. From what I made out of the picture, a COOH loses a proton while an oxygen gains it (becoming OH).

Why does this mechanism involve noncovalent (as opposed to covalent) catalysis? Aren't C-H bonds covalent?

 

[Teleologist]

This might be useful: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thiourea_organocatalysis

 

[manohman]

bumping this to see if anyone has any thoughts. confused by the notion of covalent vs non covalent catalysis.