Synthesis, Stereochemical Confirmation, and Derivatization of 12( S ),16ϵ‐Dihydroxycleroda‐3,13‐dien‐15,16‐olide, a Clerodane Diterpene That Sensitizes Methicillin‐Resistant Staphylococcus aureus to β‐Lactam Antibiotics

The synthesis of a diterpene natural product that potentiates the activity of β-lactam antibiotics against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, and its stereochemical confirmation via X-ray crystallography is reported. In addition, analog synthesis and subsequent structure–activity relationship studies propose a mode of action involving mecA and suggest simplification of the scaffold is possible.