Condensation of aniline with 3-chloro-2-hydroxybenzaldehyde afforded imine 1. The imine intermediate 1 was refluxed with conc. H2SO4 to introduce a sulfonate group at the 5 position in 84% yield. Treatment with Na2CO3 gave the sodium salt 3 in 58% yield. Afterwards, condensation of 3 with 2-aminophenol followed by in situ cyclization afforded the ESIPT fluorophore 4 in 41% yield (Scheme 2). Another ESIPT fluorophore 5 was synthesized in two steps in 52% yield (Scheme 2). These two fluorophores with slightly modulated photophysical properties served as basis for our follow-up studies.