In a neutral aqueous environment, a new ratiometric Cd
2+fluorescent sensor
1a can successfully discriminate Cd
2+from Zn
2+ by undergoing two different internal chargetransfer (ICT) processes, and the high selectivity of sensor
1a to Cd
2+ over some other metals was also observed.Moreover, through structure derivation and a series of NMRstudies, the unique role of the 2-picolyl group (the part inred in the abstract graphic) in the sensor
1a-Cd
2+ complexation was disclosed.