Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) poses a serious threat to human health, and currently there are no effective or specific therapies available to treat it. Herein a series of 1-phenyl-N-(benzothiazol-2-yl)methanimine derivatives with inhibitory activity against MERS-CoV are described. The compound 4f with a 50% inhibition concentration value of 0.09 μM is a promising inhibitor that warrants further evaluation, towards the development of potential anti-MERS-CoV drugs.