An infrared dye having a chemical structure according to Formula I wherein MESO is selected from the group consisting of MESO-A, MESO-B and MESO-C; with # and * indicating the points of attachment of MESO-A, MESO-B and MESO-C in Formula I, R1 and R2 each independently represent a substituent with a Hammett constant for para substituents (σ p) below 0.25, R3 represents a substituent with σ p above 0.4, R6, R7, R8 and R9 represent hydrogen, or R6 and R1 together or R7 and R1 together may represent the necessary atoms to form an optionally substituted five- or six-membered ring including an oxygen or nitrogen atom directly attached to the carbon atom carrying the R1 group, R8 and R2 together or R9 and R2 together may represent the necessary atoms to form an optionally substituted five- or six-membered ring including an oxygen or nitrogen atom directly attached to the carbon atom carrying the R2 group, R4 and R5 each independently represent an optionally substituted alkyl group, Z1, Z2, Z3, Z4, Z5 and Z6 each independently represent hydrogen, an alkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, a cyanide group, an ester group having 2 to 8 carbon atoms, an amide group having 3 to 8 carbon atoms or an aryl group having 6 to 14 carbon atoms, or Z1 and Z2 may represent the necessary atoms to form an alicyclic group having 5 to 14 carbon atoms or a heterocyclic group having 4 to 14 carbon atoms, wherein R1 and R2 represent an alkoxide group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms and R3 represents -SO 2 -Y4 wherein Y4 represents an optionally substituted alkyl or aryl group, and wherein the infrared dye has a maximum absorption (λmax) ≥ 1150 nm. MESO is selected from the group consisting of MESO-A, MESO-B and MESO-C; with # and * indicating the points of attachment of MESO-A, MESO-B and MESO-C in Formula I, R1 and R2 each independently represent a substituent with a Hammett constant for para substituents (σ p) below 0.25, R3 represents a substituent with σ p above 0.4, R6, R7, R8 and R9 represent hydrogen, or R6 and R1 together or R7 and R1 together may represent the necessary atoms to form an optionally substituted five- or six-membered ring including an oxygen or nitrogen atom directly attached to the carbon atom carrying the R1 group, R8 and R2 together or R9 and R2 together may represent the necessary atoms to form an optionally substituted five- or six-membered ring including an oxygen or nitrogen atom directly attached to the carbon atom carrying the R2 group, R4 and R5 each independently represent an optionally substituted alkyl group, Z1, Z2, Z3, Z4, Z5 and Z6 each independently represent hydrogen, an alkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, a cyanide group, an ester group having 2 to 8 carbon atoms, an amide group having 3 to 8 carbon atoms or an aryl group having 6 to 14 carbon atoms, or Z1 and Z2 may represent the necessary atoms to form an alicyclic group having 5 to 14 carbon atoms or a heterocyclic group having 4 to 14 carbon atoms, wherein R1 and R2 represent an alkoxide group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms and R3 represents -SO 2 -Y4 wherein Y4 represents an optionally substituted alkyl or aryl group, and wherein the infrared dye has a maximum absorption (λmax) ≥ 1150 nm. R1 and R2 each independently represent a substituent with a Hammett constant for para substituents (σ p) below 0.25, R3 represents a substituent with σ p above 0.4, R6, R7, R8 and R9 represent hydrogen, or R6 and R1 together or R7 and R1 together may represent the necessary atoms to form an optionally substituted five- or six-membered ring including an oxygen or nitrogen atom directly attached to the carbon atom carrying the R1 group, R8 and R2 together or R9 and R2 together may represent the necessary atoms to form an optionally substituted five- or six-membered ring including an oxygen or nitrogen atom directly attached to the carbon atom carrying the R2 group, R4 and R5 each independently represent an optionally substituted alkyl group, Z1, Z2, Z3, Z4, Z5 and Z6 each independently represent hydrogen, an alkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, a cyanide group, an ester group having 2 to 8 carbon atoms, an amide group having 3 to 8 carbon atoms or an aryl group having 6 to 14 carbon atoms, or Z1 and Z2 may represent the necessary atoms to form an alicyclic group having 5 to 14 carbon atoms or a heterocyclic group having 4 to 14 carbon atoms, wherein R1 and R2 represent an alkoxide group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms and R3 represents -SO 2 -Y4 wherein Y4 represents an optionally substituted alkyl or aryl group, and wherein the infrared dye has a maximum absorption (λmax) ≥ 1150 nm.