Substituted rosamines are efficiently prepared through a new organometallic addition to an imine-substituted xanthone as a novel primary amine equivalent. The synthesis reduces the number of synthetic steps to the targeted rosamines, for convenient and facile access to potential libraries of rosamine dyes. The prepared rosamine derivatives represent unique multifunctional platforms that possess radiolabeling capability and fluorescence. Rosamines have (i) useful non-specific binding properties in mammalian cells and plant root hair, and (ii) positive uptake or binding properties in microbial systems.