A coumarine-imino-C2-glucosyl conjugate (L) was synthesized and characterized. The conjugate L is found to recognize Cu2+ in aqueous HEPES buffer by exhibiting a 95% fluorescence quenching in pH range 7-10 even in the presence of several biologically and ecologically relevant metal ions. Fluorescence on-off behavior has been clearly demonstrated on the basis of the binding variability of Cu2+ to L. The binding has been elicited through the changes observed in fluorescence, absorption, ESI-MS and 1H NMR titrations. All the other thirteen metal ions studied did not show any change in the fluorescence emission. These ions do not interfere with the recognition of Cu2+ by L. The structural features of [CuL]2 complex in both the isomeric forms were established by DFT computational calculations. The utility of L has been demonstrated by showing its sensitivity toward Cu2+ on a thin layer of silica gel. The L gives sensitive fluorescence signals for Cu2+ even in blood serum and exhibits appropriate fluorescence responses in living cells.