A new chromene pyrazoline derivatives fluorescent probe L was designed and synthesized. The probe L appears in a 55-fold fluorescence enhancement after 5 equiv. Zn2+ was added, and it also exhibits high sensitivity and selectivity for response to Zn2+ in ethanol-water (V:V= 1:1) solution through "OFF-ON" type process and a possible photoinduced electron transfer (PET). Notably, the probe L distinguishes between Zn2+ and Cd2+. The association constant was considered as 2.38 x 10(3) M (1) via fluorescence titration experiments. The probe L-Zn2+ complex forms a 1:1 binding stoichiometry which was discussed by Job's plot. The probe is very highly sensitive with fluorometric detection limit of 1.603 x 10( 10) M. It also shows good reversibility upon addition of EDTA. Furthermore, the viability of L to Zn2+ has practical application in live cell imaging. (C) 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.