A novel blue luminescent 6-chloro-2-(4-cynophenyl) substituted diphenyl quinoline (Cl-CN DPQ) organic phosphor has been synthesized by the acid-catalyzed Friedlander reaction and then characterized to confirm structural, optical and thermal properties. Structural properties of Cl-CN-DPQ were analyzed by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction technique (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive analysis of X-ray (EDAX) spectroscopy. FTIR spectra confirmed the presence of different functional groups and bond stretching. H-NMR and C-NMR confirmed the formation of an organic Cl-CN-DPQ compound. X-ray diffraction study provided its crystalline nature. The surface morphology of Cl-CN-DPQ was analyzed by SEM, while EDAX spectroscopy revealed the elemental analysis. Differential thermal analysis (TGA/DTA) disclosed its thermal stability up to 250°C. The optical properties of Cl-CN-DPQ were investigated by UV-vis absorption and photoluminescence (PL) measurements. Cl-CN-DPQ exhibits intense blue emission at 434 nm in a solid-state crystalline powder with CIE co-ordinates (0.157, 0.027), when excited at 373 nm. Cl-CN-DPQ shows remarkable Stokes shift in the range 14800-5100 cm , which is the characteristic feature of intense light emission. A narrow full width at half-maximum (FWHM) value of PL spectra in the range 42-48 nm was observed. Oscillator strength, energy band gap, quantum yield, and fluorescence energy yield were also examined using UV-vis absorption and photoluminescence spectra. These results prove its applications towards developing organic luminescence devices and displays, organic phosphor-based solar cells and displays, organic lasers, chemical sensors and many more.