A series of 12-hydroxy-substituted abietane diterpenes, functionalized on C19 or C18, have been synthesized starting from 18-hydroxyferruginol. The first synthesis of antibacterial hanagokenol A and fortunins E, G, and H, and a new procedure for preparing sugikurojin A and the immunosuppressive 19-hydroxy-ferruginol are reported. antibiotics - diastereoselectivity - phenols - terpenoids - oxidation