A number of D-л-А-л- D type dyes based on pyrimidines, bearing various electron-donating carbazole and triphenylamine fragments, have been studied as sensing fluorophores. Fluorescence studies demonstrated that the emission of all derivatives in acetonitrile is sensitive to the presence of a number of nitroaromatic benzenoids, including explosives such as 2,4-dinitroanisole, picric acid, styphnic acid, l,3,5-triethoxy-2,4,6-trinitrobenzene, 2,4-dinitrotoluene and 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene. Detection limits of fluorophores for the explosive compounds were in the range from 2 mM to 29 pM. A selective fluorescence quenching response, including a sharp color change under UV, especially for the trinitrophenolics, makes these fluorophores promising fluorescence sensory materials for nitroaromatic explosives.