Keto-Salicylaldehyde Azine (KSA) was developed by our group for constructing various AIEgens via an excited state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) process to detect some cellular organelles and specific metal ions. For illuminating the structure–property relationship of the two asymmetric sides in a KSA unit, DPAS was employed as a model and the N,N-diethyl group with electron-donating effects was introduced