A method of modifying a pigment that includes reacting a reactive compound having an X-[Y]n reactive group with a secondary compound N-S-ZM to form a substituted reactive intermediate [Y]aX-(N-S-ZM)b. A pigment is reacted with the substituted reactive intermediate [Y]a-X-(N-S-ZM)b to attach the substituted reactive intermediate to the surface of the pigment to form a surface modified pigment. X may be a sulfonyl, phosphoryl, or 1,3,5-triazinyl group, Y may be a halogen leaving group, N may be a basic nucleophilic group, S may be an organic group, and ZM may be an ionizable end group. Also, n is an integer between 1 and 3, b is an integer between 1 and 3, and a=n−b. When n is equal to or greater than b, and if b is 2 or 3, each. N-S-ZM can be the same or different.