Many drugs/metabolites are derivatized, prior to the measurement step, to bring the analytes to the chemical forms that are compatible with the chromatographic environment or to maximize their chromatographic separation and detection efficiencies. For example, derivatizations are carried out to improve the analyte's volatility; to eliminate active functional groups that may cause undesired interactions with the chromatographic components, resulting in peak loss (due to irreversible adsorption) or peak tailing (caused by reversible adsorption); and, through the use of a chiral agent, to achieve resolution of enantiomeric components.