The bifunctionality of amino acids can be exploited by utilizing them as quenchers in rapid solution phase parallel synthesis. The amino group was used to covalently trap the excess electrophiles, whereas the carboxylic acid moiety was used to solubilize the derivatized amino acid in water. As a prototype we used potassium sarcosinate as a quencher for excess electrophiles in the acylation or sulfonation of N-methyl-benzylamine. Various ...