Incubations of (4R)- and (4S)-[4-H-2(1)]-proclavaminic acid with clavaminic acid synthase resulted in the stereospecific removal of the deuterium and hydrogen respectively from C-4, in their conversions to clavaminic acid, suggesting an enzyme catalysed syn-elimination for the desaturation of dihydroclavaminic acid to clavaminic acid.