2-Iminopyrroles [HtBuL, 4-tert-butyl phenyl(pyrrol-2ylmethylene) amine] are non-fluorescent p systems. However, they display blue fluorescence after deprotonation with alkali metal bases in the solid state and in solution at room temperature. In the solid state, the alkali metal 2-imino pyrrolates, M(L-tBu), aggregate to dimers, [M(L-tBu)(NCR)](2) (M= Li, R= CH3, CH(CH3)CNH2), or polymers, [M(L-tBu)](n) (M= Na, K). In solution (solv= CH3CN, DMSO, THF, and toluene), solvated, uncharged monomeric species M(L-tBu)(solv)(m) with N, N'-che-lated alkali metal ions are present. Due to the electron-rich pyrrolate and the electron-poor arylimino moiety, the M(L-tBu) chromophore possesses a low-energy intraligand chargetransfer (ILCT) excited state. The chelated alkali cations rigidify the chromophore, restricting intramolecular motions (RIM) by the chelation-enhanced fluorescence (CHEF) effect in solution and, consequently, switch-on a blue fluorescence emission.