Fusidic acid is a steroid like microbial product that is an extremely potent antibiotic with a broad spectrum of biological activity. Its molecular shape is most unusual and has supplied important clues to researchers investigating the methods by which steroids are synthesized in nature.

(a) Locate all the rings in fusidic acid and describe their conformations.
(b) Identify all ring fusions in the molecule as having either cis or trans geometry.
(c) Identity all groups attached to the rings as being either α- or β-substituents.
(d) Describe in detail how this molecule differs from the typical steroid in structure and stereo-chemistry. (As an aid to answering these questions, the carbon atoms of the framework of the molecule have been numbered.)

CH3 CH3 10 HO CH 14 13 17 CH3 CHH l6 Fusidic acid