A new chemosensor molecule 4 based on a ferrocene-azaquinoxaline dyad effectively recognizes Hg2+ in an aqueous environment as well as Pb2+ and Zn2+ metal cations in CH3CN solution through three different channels. Upon recognition, an anodic shift of the ferrocene/ferrocenium oxidation peaks and a progressive red shift (Delta lambda = 112-40 nm) of the low energy band, in their absorption spectra, is produced. These changes in the absorption spectra are accompanied by color changes from orange to deep green, for Hg2+, and to purple in the cases of Pb2+ and Zn2+. Remarkably, the redox and colorimetric responses toward Hg2+ are preserved in the presence of water (CH3CN/H2O, 3/7). The emission spectrum of 4 in CH3CN (lambda(exc) = 270 nm) undergoes important chelation enhancement of fluorescence (CHEF) in the presence of Hg2+ (CHEF = 204), Pb2+ (CHEF = 90), and Zn2+ (CHEF = 184) metal cations. Along with the spectroscopic data, the combined H-1 NMR data of the complexes and the theoretical calculation suggest the proposed bridging coordination modes