A new method for the synthesis of naphthalenes has been recently discovered. The Atom Transfer Radical Cyclisation (ATRC) of diverse 2-allylphenyl2',2',2'-trichloroacetates in the presence of a Cu complex afford schloronaphthalenes in good yields using either microwave or thermolytic methods of activation. A mechanism for the benzannulation reaction is proposed and experiments presented in order to validate this hypothesis. The use of 1,3-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)imidazolium copper(I) chloride [(IPr)CuCl)] along with other metal carbenes is compared to the already reported CuCl/ligand system. Since the scope and synthetic utility of this new benzannulation reaction is restricted due to the use of the MW reactor, a solvent in which the thermal reaction can take place is reported, proving its efficiency in the synthesis of a range of substituted naphthalenes. The potential and versatility of the benzannulation reaction has been investigated. Studies towards the synthesis of gilvocarcin M which contains a tetracyclicaromatic core are presented. Gilvocarcins have potential use as anti-cancer agents and represent a member of the C-aryl glycosides found in natural products. Gilvocarcin M is a challenging target because there are a sparse number of total syntheses reported in the literature. The ATRC reaction of (vinyl)phenyl trichloroacetate has also been investigated, affording the synthesis of functionalised coumarins. The mechanism of this reaction has also been investigated, establishing that, in some cases, aretro-Kharasch reaction is observed.

Ce travail de thèse présente la mise au point d’une nouvelle stratégie de synthèse en vue de l’obtention d’analogues des strigolactones, apocaroténoïdes possédant de multiples activités biologiques d’intérêt agronomique : médiateurs chimiques intervenant dans la mise en place de la symbiose endomycorhizienne et nouvelle classe d’hormone végétale contrôlant l’architecture de la plante.La stratégie de synthèse est basée sur l’utilisation d’une séquence de deux réactions clefs qui sont une métathèse cyclisante d’oléfine (RCM) et une cyclisation radicalaire avec transfert d’atome catalysée par un métal de transition (ATRC). Tout d’abord, une synthèse rapide et efficace des précurseurs a été développée et après optimisation de la séquence RCM / ATRC, divers analogues fonctionnalisés en position C4 ont été obtenus après aménagements fonctionnels. D’autres bioisostères des strigolactones naturelles ont été synthétisés par variation au niveau du cycle C. En se basant sur la voie synthétique précédemment élaborée, la première synthèse asymétrique du Solanacol a été effectuée permettant la détermination de sa stéréochimie relative en C2’ et sa configuration absolue. L’évaluation des activités biologiques dans les différents modèles des composés synthétisés est aussi décrite. / This Ph.D. work has been centred on the elaboration of a new synthetic strategy in goal to obtain analogues of natural strigolactones, apocarotenoids with various biological activities of agronomic interests: chemical mediators implicated in the endomycorrhizal symbiosis and a new class of plant hormone controlling the plant architecture.The synthetic strategy is based on the sequence of two key reactions, which are ring closing metathesis (RCM) and atom transfer radical cyclisation (ATRC). First, a rapid and efficient access to the synthetic precursors has been developed and after optimisation of the RCM / ATRC sequence, several analogues functionnalised at the C4 position were obtained after judicious steps. Other bioisoters were obtained with variations on the C ring. On the basis of the elaborated synthetic pathway, the first asymmetric synthesis of Solanacol was successfully achieved conducting to the determination of the relative stereochemistry at C2’ position and its absolute configuration. The biological evaluations of the synthesized molecules in the different models were also described.