Abstract 2-Cyano-6-hydroxybenzothiazole is the key intermediate for the synthesis of d- luciferin, the natural substrate of firefly luciferases. A new synthesis of 2-cyano-6- hydroxybenzothiazole has been realized starting from the reaction of 1, 4-benzoquinone with l-cysteine ethyl ester, followed by oxidation-cyclization of the intermediate ethyl (R)-2- amino-3-(2, 5-dihydroxyphenylsulfanyl) propanoate hydrochloride to 2-carbethoxy-6- ...