A new Zn(II)-based coordination complex, [Zn(L)(2)]center dot(CH3OH)(0.)(5)center dot(H2O)(2) (1) (L = 3-chloro-6-(3-methyl-5-phenyl-H-pyrazol-1-yl) picolinic acid) has been synthesized by solvothermal condition. The uncoordinated oxygen atoms in the compound can be used as active sites for post-synthetic modifications. Therefore, compound 1 can act as a precursor material for coating lanthanides. The Ln@1 (Tb@1 and Eu@1) materials showed characteristic emission properties of Ln(3+) ions. These emissions are selectively quenched by nitroaromatic compounds in ethanol with good sensitivity. The result illustrated that the materials selectively detect of 2,4,6-trinitrophenol (TNP), 2,4-dinitroaniline (2,4-NA) with higher efficiency (Ksv>10(4) M-1) compared with other nitroaromatic compounds, including 2,4-dinitrotoluene (2,4-DNT), 2,6-dinitrotoluene (2,6-DNT), nitrobenzene (NB), 4-nitrophenol (4-NP), 4-nitrotoluene (4-NT). Furthermore, the fluorescent paper strips were prepared in order to make them as portable sensing agents. In addition, a probable sensing mechanism was also discussed in this paper.