The current study applied laccase/DDQ as a bioinspired cooperative catalytic system for the synthesis of quinazolinones (80–95% yield) and benzothiazoles (65–98% yield) using air or O2 as ideal oxidants in aqueous media at ambient temperature. The aerobic oxidative cyclization reactions occur in two steps: (i) chemical cyclization; (ii) chemoenzymatic oxidation. These methods are more environment-friendly, efficient, simple and practical than other reported methods due to the use of O2 as an oxidant, laccase as an ecofriendly biocatalyst, aqueous media as the solvent and free from any toxic transition metal and halide catalysts. Therefore, these methods can be applied in pharmaceutical and other sensitive synthetic procedures.
