An “on-water” one-pot process has been engineered for the preparation of 2- aminobenzothiazole from ortho-halo (–F,–Cl,–Br and–I) substituted unsymmetrical thioureas. For ortho–I and–Br substrates the reactions afford 2-aminobenzothiazoles under metal free condition promoted by base. However, the relatively inert ortho–Cl and–F substrates undergo intramolecular arylthiolation only in the presence of CuO ...