A chemiluminescent acridinium compound having the following structure: wherein, n', m', and q' are independently an integer from 1-4, R 1 is a C 1-35 alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl or aralkyl group, each of which may contain up to 20 heteroatoms, or a sulfopropyl or sulfobutyl group, or R 1 is a group -R a -Z; where R a is a divalent radical selected from C 1-35 alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, or aralkyl group, each optionally containing up to 20 heteroatoms; R 2 and R 3 are independently selected from (i) hydrogen, (ii) an electron donating group, or (iii) a group -Z; Z is a zwitterionic group of the form: X is independently selected at each occurrence from a bond, -CH 2 -, oxygen, sulfur, -NR N -, amide (-NR N -), carbamate (-NR N C O-), or urea (-NR N C NR N -); R' and R" are independently selected at each occurrence from C 1 - 35 alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, or aralkyl, each optionally containing up to 20 heteroatoms; Z 1 is a group -R a -Z 2 where Z 2 is selected from carboxylate (-COO -), sulfonate (-SO 3 -), sulfate (-OSO 3 -), phosphate (-OP (O -)), or oxide (-O -); or, in the case where Z 2 is an oxide (-O -), R a may be absent; n is, independently selected at each occurrence, an integer between one and 12; and R 4 and R 8 are the same or different and are selected from hydrogen, C 1-35 alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, alkoxyl (-OR), alkylthiol (-SR), or substituted amino groups (-NR 2); R* is selected from hydrogen, C 1 - 35 alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, or aralkyl, each optionally containing up to 20 heteroatoms, or R* is a group -R a -L, wherein L is selected from the group consisting of: R is independently selected at each occurrence from C 1 - 35 alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, or aralkyl groups each containing up to 20 heteroatoms; and R N is independently selected at each occurrence from hydrogen, C 1-35 alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, or aralkyl groups each containing up to 20 heteroatoms. wherein, n', m', and q' are independently an integer from 1-4, R 1 is a C 1-35 alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl or aralkyl group, each of which may contain up to 20 heteroatoms, or a sulfopropyl or sulfobutyl group, or R 1 is a group -R a -Z; where R a is a divalent radical selected from C 1-35 alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, or aralkyl group, each optionally containing up to 20 heteroatoms; R 2 and R 3 are independently selected from (i) hydrogen, (ii) an electron donating group, or (iii) a group -Z; Z is a zwitterionic group of the form: X is independently selected at each occurrence from a bond, -CH 2 -, oxygen, sulfur, -NR N -, amide (-NR N -), carbamate (-NR N C O-), or urea (-NR N C NR N -); R' and R" are independently selected at each occurrence from C 1 - 35 alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, or aralkyl, each optionally containing up to 20 heteroatoms; Z 1 is a group -R a -Z 2 where Z 2 is selected from carboxylate (-COO -), sulfonate (-SO 3 -), sulfate (-OSO 3 -), phosphate (-OP (O -)), or oxide (-O -); or, in the case where Z 2 is an oxide (-O -), R a may be absent; n is, independently selected at each occurrence, an integer between one and 12; and R 4 and R 8 are the same or different and are selected from hydrogen, C 1-35 alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, alkoxyl (-OR), alkylthiol (-SR), or substituted amino groups (-NR 2); R* is selected from hydrogen, C 1 - 35 alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, or aralkyl, each optionally containing up to 20 heteroatoms, or R* is a group -R a -L, wherein L is selected from the group consisting of: R is independently selected at each occurrence from C 1 - 35 alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, or aralkyl groups each containing up to 20 heteroatoms; and R N is independently selected at each occurrence from hydrogen, C 1-35 alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, or aralkyl groups each containing up to 20 heteroatoms.