Abstract: A new class of proton transfer, benzazole, fluorescent compounds is composed of a 2-benzazolyl moiety covalently bonded to an aromatic fused ring heterocyclic moiety. The 2-benzazolyl moiety may be a 2-benzoxazolyl, 2-benzothiazolyl, or 2-benzimidazolyl. The aromatic fused ring heterocyclic moiety may be a 3-dibenzofuranyl or 3-dibenzothiophenyl each substituted at the 2 position with a proton donating group, or a 2-carbazolyl substituted at the 3 position with a proton donating group. The proton donating group may be hydroxy, sulfonamido, carbonamido, and the like, and preferably is hydroxy. The fluors are soluble in organic matrix materials such as solvents, monomers, resins, polymers, and the like. The UV-excited fluors emit short-lived fluorescence at .gtoreq.520 nm and may be used in the manufacture of fluorescent coatings, objects, scintillators, light sources and the like.