Background:　Heterocyclic　compounds　containing　two　or　more　hetero　atoms　can　represent　the　most　important　class　of　key　structural　units　in　a　large　number　of　bioactive　molecules.　Among　them,　benzothiazole　derivatives　are　often　investigated　as　antitumor,　antiviral,　and　antimicrobial　agents,　and　as　important　building　blocks　in　pharmaceuticals,　agrochemicals　and　natural　products.　As　one　of　benzothiazole　derivatives,　2-carboxybenzothiazole　is　an　important　organic　intermediate　and　taking　it　as　a　parent,　we　can　synthesize　dipeptide　protease　inhibitor,　it　can　also　be　used　for　the　synthesis　of　anticancer,　anti-inflammatory　drugs　or　medicine　for　treating　neural　cardiovascular　disease.　So　far,　the　methods　to　synthesize　2-carboxybenzothiazole　have　some　defects　such　as　tedious　steps,　harsh　reaction　conditions　and　poor　environmental　per-formance.　While　the　biomimetic　catalysis　of　metalloporphyrins　(MPs)　has　increasingly　attracted　considerable　attention,　and　many　processes　with　the　catalysis　of　metalloporphyrins　have　been　developed.　The　aims　of　this　paper　are　to　find　a　simple　and　green　procedure　for　the　synthesis　of　2-carboxybenzothiazole　from　2-methylbenzothiazole　using　the　metalloporphyrins　as　biomimetic　catalysts　and　molecular　oxygen　as　oxidant.　Methods:　2-Carboxybenzothiazole　was　prepared　according　to　a　typical　oxidation　procedure:　2-methylbenzothiazole　(3.9　mmol),　NaOH　(0,　0.82,　0.99,　1.31,　1.48,　1.64,　1.8　and　2.05　mol·L-1),　and　10-200　ppm　different　kinds　of　metalloporphyrins　were　dissolved　in　30　mL　solvent,　which　were　added　into　a　200　mL　autoclave　with　a　magnetic　stirrer.　Oxygen　of　0,　1.0,　1.2,　1.4,　1.6　and　1.8　MPa　was　inflated　into　the　autoclave.　The　reaction　proceeded　for　different　hours　(2,　4,　6,　7,　8,　9,　10　and　12　h)　under　different　temperatures　(60,　80,　100,　110,　120,　130　and　140　°C).　The　reaction　liquid　was　cooled　to　room　temperature,　and　5　mol·L-1　of　HCl　was　added　to　adjust　pH　value　to　5-6.　Then　the　product　was　obtained　and　was　analyzed　by　HPLC.　Result:　The　type　of　solvents,　kinds　of　metalloporphyrins,　temperature,　reaction　time,　oxygen　pressure,　concentration　of　NaOH　and　concentration　of　metalloporphyrin　have　important　influences　on　the　reaction　effects.　According　to　a　series　of　experiments,　the　optimal　conditions　for　the　synthesis　of　2-carboxybenzothiazole　from　2-methyl　benzothiazole　are　as　follows:　2-methylbenzothiazole　(0.13　mol·L-1),　NaOH　(1.64　mol·L-1),　and　T(p-OCH3)PPFe　(4.1×10-5　mol·L-1　)　are　placed　in　a　200　mL　autoclave　with　a　magnetic　stirrer　in　30　mL　ethanol,　then　1.4　MPa　of　O2　is　inflated　into　the　autoclave　and　the　reaction　liquid　is　heated　to　120　°C　and　keep　reaction　for　8　hours,　the　selectivity　and　conversion　can　reach　59.1%　and　39.2%　respectively.　Conclusion:　A　simple　and　green　procedure　for　the　synthesis　of　2-carboxybenzothiazole　from　2-methylbenzothiazole　has　been　successfully　realized　by　using　the　metalloporphyrins　as　biomimetic　catalysts　and　molecular　oxygen　as　oxidant.　The　catalytic　properties　of　metalloporphyrins　and　optimum　reaction　conditions　have　been　explored.　Clearly,　the　central　metal　ions　in　the　metalloporphyrins　have　a　remarkable　effect　on　their　own　activities,　and　metalloporphyrins　with　Fe2+　as　central　metal　ions　have　higher　catalytic　effect　than　those　with　Mn2+　and　Co2+　as　central　metal　ions.　This　strategy　opens　a　new　opportunity　for　the　preparation　of　2-substituted　benzothiazole　derivatives.　Further　application　of　this　catalytic　system　and　the　amplification　experiment　are　under　progress.　©　2016　Bentham　Science　Publishers.