Efficient synthetic route to water-soluble 1,3-diarylisoben-zoheteroles, including isobenzofuran, isobenzothiophene, and isobenzoselenophene, was developed. Based on our one-pot synthetic method for diarylisobenzofurans, novel D-pi-D and A-pi-A types of diarylisobenzoheteroles became accessible, and they could be smoothly converted to the water-soluble isobenzoheteroles. The photophysical properties of newly prepared isobenzoheteroles are also evaluated.