A compound having a structure that satisfies any of Formulas 2A-2D or 5A or 5B wherein the compound comprises a pharmaceutically acceptable, negatively charged counter ion; n is 0 or 1 and when n is 0, the S atom is bound to a hydrogen atom, a nitroso group to provide a thio-nitroso group, an aliphatic group to provide a thioether-containing compound, or a ketone group to provide a thioester-containing compound; each R 1 independently is selected from aliphatic, aryl, heteroaliphatic, aliphatic-aryl, heteroaryl, aliphatic-heteroaryl, heteroaliphatic-aryl, or heteroaliphatic-heteroaryl; each R 2 independently is selected from hydrogen or aliphatic, aryl, heteroaliphatic, aliphatic-aryl, heteroaryl, aliphatic-heteroaryl, heteroaliphatic-aryl, or heteroaliphatic-heteroaryl; R 3 is selected from hydrogen, a protecting group, a nitroso group, or a linker-X group, wherein the protecting group is selected from aliphatic, aryl, heteroaliphatic, aliphatic-aryl, heteroaryl, aliphatic-heteroaryl, heteroaliphatic-aryl, or heteroaliphatic-heteroaryl; each linker-X group is selected from -C R c X, -[(CH 2) 2 O] m X, -C(=NH 2 +)NR c X, -CH 2 C NHR c X, -SR c X, or wherein each R c independently is selected from aliphatic, aryl, heteroaliphatic, aliphatic-aryl, heteroaryl, aliphatic-heteroaryl, heteroaliphatic-aryl, or heteroaliphatic-heteroaryl; each X independently is selected from -P + (R d) 3, wherein each R d independently can be selected from hydrogen, aliphatic, aryl, or aliphatic-aryl; Y is oxygen or -NH; and each of m independently is 1 to 30; optionally wherein (i) each R 1 and R 2 independently is methyl or ethyl; (ii) each linker independently is selected from -C R c -, -[(CH 2) 2 O] m -, -C(=NH 2 +)NR c -, -CH 2 C NHR c -, -SR c -, wherein each R c independently is selected from aliphatic, aryl, heteroaliphatic, aliphatic-aryl, heteroaryl, aliphatic-heteroaryl, heteroaliphatic-aryl, or heteroaliphatic-heteroaryl; and m is 1 to 30; or (iii) X is selected from -P + (Ph) 3. the compound comprises a pharmaceutically acceptable, negatively charged counter ion; n is 0 or 1 and when n is 0, the S atom is bound to a hydrogen atom, a nitroso group to provide a thio-nitroso group, an aliphatic group to provide a thioether-containing compound, or a ketone group to provide a thioester-containing compound; each R 1 independently is selected from aliphatic, aryl, heteroaliphatic, aliphatic-aryl, heteroaryl, aliphatic-heteroaryl, heteroaliphatic-aryl, or heteroaliphatic-heteroaryl; each R 2 independently is selected from hydrogen or aliphatic, aryl, heteroaliphatic, aliphatic-aryl, heteroaryl, aliphatic-heteroaryl, heteroaliphatic-aryl, or heteroaliphatic-heteroaryl; R 3 is selected from hydrogen, a protecting group, a nitroso group, or a linker-X group, wherein the protecting group is selected from aliphatic, aryl, heteroaliphatic, aliphatic-aryl, heteroaryl, aliphatic-heteroaryl, heteroaliphatic-aryl, or heteroaliphatic-heteroaryl; each linker-X group is selected from -C R c X, -[(CH 2) 2 O] m X, -C(=NH 2 +)NR c X, -CH 2 C NHR c X, -SR c X, or (i) each R 1 and R 2 independently is methyl or ethyl; (ii) each linker independently is selected from -C R c -, -[(CH 2) 2 O] m -, -C(=NH 2 +)NR c -, -CH 2 C NHR c -, -SR c -, wherein each R c independently is selected from aliphatic, aryl, heteroaliphatic, aliphatic-aryl, heteroaryl, aliphatic-heteroaryl, heteroaliphatic-aryl, or heteroaliphatic-heteroaryl; and m is 1 to 30; or (iii) X is selected from -P + (Ph) 3.