sync iphoto files between MacBooks via wifi - can it be done? Both MacBooks are operating on Maverick and latest version of iPhoto.

What do you mean by "Sync"?

Main purpose is to ensure that what changes are made on one MacBook are replicated on the other and visa versa.

The vice versa is the always going to be a problem.

The general term means when two Libraries (A and B) are compared and files in Library A are copied to Library B, while files in Library B are also copied to Library A so that both Libraries are identical.

This is bi-directional copying and you cannot do this automatically with iPhoto. No Syncing software is capable of parsing the iPhoto Library in this manner. One or both of your Libraries will be damaged if you try this.

You can have uni-directional copying - files in Library A are copied to Library B - this is essentially backing up. Obviously you can also copy from Library B to Library A.

The nearest you can get to syncing is to use iPhoto Library Manager to move files/Albums/Events plus associated metadata between Libraries. This process cannot be automated.

I would note that the upcoming Photos app and the iCloud Library feature may make this possible.

Will iPLM allow me to duplicate my current photo library on laptop A (i.e. there will be 2 full photo libraries on A) and then merge one of the libraries in A to the photo library on laptop B?

Yes. You can duplicate a Library in the Finder, no need to Library Manager there. And yes you certainly should back up both Libraries, absolutely.

There is an app that will sync two libraries together. However, it only will sync original/master photos and not any edited versions, keywords, titles, or other metadata. It's is manual or automatic, i.e. A ⇄ B, or it can be from A ➙ B or B ➙ A. The software has to be running on both computers at the same time with the two Macs connected. I've not tired it but there's a 7 day free triial you can use. It's called SyncPhotos.

If you try it be sure to have a current backup of both libraries before you start. It would be best to be hard wired connected between the two Macs but you can try the wireless as long as you have backups.