Chelate resins, which are polystyrene-divinylbenezene-based polymers bearing iminodiacetic acids or polyamines as ligands, supported copper catalysts (Cu/CR11 or Cu/CR20) in effectively catalyzing the ring cleaving S-arylation of benzothiazole with aryl iodides or aryl bromides in the presence of lithium tert-butoxide in aqueous 2-propanol.