Oxoporphyrinogens (OxPs) bind water molecules at pyrrolic NH and quinonoid carbonyl groups leading to visible colour changes due to variation in the π-electronic structure of OxPs. Introduction of hydrophilic substituents at two pyrrole NH groups improves sensitivity to H(2)O, and one OxP derivative is a colorimetric indicator of trace H(2)O (~50 ppm) in THF.