A novel chiral (S)-BINAM-based fluorescent polymer sensor was designed and synthesized by the polymerization of 4,4-((2,5-dibutoxy-1,4-phenylene)bis(ethyne-2,1-diyl))-dibenzaldehyde (M-1) with (S)-2,2-binaphthyldiamine (S-BINAM, M-2) via Schiff's base formation. The resulting helical chiral polymer sensor exhibited remarkable turn-on bright blue fluorescence color upon the addition of trivalent metal ions under a commercially available UV lamp; this change can be clearly observed by the naked eye for direct visual discrimination at low concentration. More importantly, the addition of trivalent metal cations can lead to a most pronounced change of CD spectra of the chiral polymer indicating this kind chiral sensor can also be used as a sole probe for selective recognition of trivalent metal cations based on CD spectra. (c) 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2013, 51, 4070-4075