Compounds having the general of formula I and/or formula II wherein R1 and R2 are the same or different and are independently selected from the group consisting of —H, —C1-C18-alkyl or -ω-sulfoalkyl; X and Y are the same or different and are independently selected from the group consisting of —O−, —OH, —SH, —NH—NH2, —F, —Cl, —Br, —I, —O-Su (succinimidyl/sulfosuccinimidyl), —O-STP (4-sulfo-2,3,5,6-tetrafluorophenyl), —O-TFP (2,3,5,6-tetrafluorophenyl), —O-benzotriazole, -benzotriazole, —NR—CO—CH2—I, —NR2, —NR-biomolecule, —NR-L-COO−, —NR-L-COOH, —NR-L-COO-Su, —NR-L-COO-STP, —NR-L-COO-TFP, —NR-L-CONR2, —NR-L-CO-biomolecule, —NR-L-CO—NH—NH2, —NR-L-OH, —NR-L-O-phosphoramidite, —NR-L-CHO, —NR-L-maleimid, or —NR-L-NH—CO—CH2—I; where R is equal to R1 and R2 and L is selected from the group consisting of a divalent linear (—(CH2)o—, o=1 to 15), crossed, or cyclic alkane group that can be substituted by at least one atom selected from the group consisting of oxygen, substituted nitrogen, and/or sulfur, and the biomolecule is a protein, antibody, nucleotide, oligonucleotide, biotin, or hapten; Z is —O− or OH; U is —O−, —OH, or NH-L-SO2Z; Kat is Li, Na, K, ammonium (mono-, di- or trialkyl) or another cation; An is F, Cl, Br, I, BF4, ClO4, CH3CO2, CF3CO2 or another anion; m is an integer from 1-6 necessary to compensate the negative or positive charge from the dye moiety in formula I or formula II; and n is an integer from 0-12; compositions containing these compounds, and methods using these compounds, are disclosed.