Hydrolyzes N,N-dimethylformamide, and to a lesser extent N,N-dimethylacetamide and N,N-diethylacetamide. Has no activity against the substituted amides N-methylformamide, N-ethylformamide, N-ethylformamide and N-methylacetamide or the unsubstituted amides formamide, nicotinamide, acetoamide, benzamide, acetamide and acrylamide. H2O + N,N-dimethylformamide = dimethylamine + formate Activity is slightly inhibited by Mg(2+) and Mn(2+), and slightly increased by Cu(2+). Activity is slightly inhibited by the chelating agents 8-hydroxyquinoline, ethylenediaminetetraacetate, o-phenanthroline and 2,2'-bipyridyl. Optimum pH is 6.0-7.0. Optimum temperature is 50-55 degrees Celsius. Stable up to 50 degrees Celsius, inactivated after incubation at 60 degrees Celsius for 30 minutes. Activity decreases below 50 degrees Celsius, with 20% of activity retained at 25 degrees Celsius. Heterotetramer of two DmfA1 (alpha) and two DmfA2 (beta) subunits. It is not known which subunit of DmfA1 or DmfA2 possesses catalytic activity.