Solvatochromic dye: Novel pyrene analogs of Prodan exhibit outstanding photophysical properties, i.e., remarkably high fluorescence quantum yield (QY) in solvents ranging from apolar hexane to polar methanol (QY 0.88, 0.97, and 0.85 in hexane, dichloromethane, and methanol, respectively), that are accompanied by strong solvatochromism and large Stokes shifts. These properties have not been previously achieved in enormous solvatochromic dyes but are quite useful for emitting materials and imaging tools.