Both enantiomers of a spirocyclic benzopyran imidazolone were prepared in high enantiomeric purity. The S-isomer was found to be a potent potassium channel opener while the R-isomer was completely inactive. Comparison of this structurally rigid compound with levcromakalim suggests that the biologically active conformation of levcromakalim is the same as its preferred conformation in solution and solid state.