The formation and spectroscopic properties of quercetin (QCT)-divalent metal complexes were studied using Cu 2+ , Ni 2+ , Co 2+ , Mn 2+ , Zn 2+ , Mg 2+ , and Ca 2+ in a hydro-organic mixed solvent. The change of UV/visible absorption spectra of QCT due to addition of a metal showed the complex formation. The intensity of fluorescence spectra increased gradually with titration of the metal. The experimental data and theoretical calculation suggest that Cu 2+ , Ni 2+ , Co 2+ , and Mn 2+ coordinate the site between C(3) OH and C(4) O but Zn 2+ prefers to bind to the site between C(5) OH and C(4) O. QCT-Cu 2+ , QCT-Ni 2+ , QCT-Co 2+ , and QCT-Mn 2+ complexes exhibit S 2 ! S 0 fluorescence only as S 1 ! S 0 emission is absent due to the excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) at the S 1 state. As this ESIPT cannot occur at the QCT-Zn 2+ due to the chelation of Zn 2+ at a different site, QCT-Zn 2+ can produce characteristic S 2 ! S 0 and S 1 ! S 0 dual fluorescence.