Pyridyl tags represent very attractive phase labels for reactants and reagents. Pyridyl tags are the prototypical example of "masked phase tags" which require an activation step to modify the natural phase affinity of the tagged compound. The activation is carried out by either protonation or coordination to a metal ion, whereas deactivation is achieved by basification or addition of competitive ligands. By such simple operations the tagged compounds can be reversibly switched between a liquid-organic phase and other liquid phases (aqueous or fluorous) or between a liquid-organic phase and a solid phase. The purification of reaction products can thus be achieved by straightforward liquid/liquid or solid/liquid separation procedures. Additionally, the pyridyl tags may function both as a phase label and directing tags by accelerating reactions and/or increasing their selectivity.