This thesis summarizes three novel and general reaction protocols for the synthesis of diaryliodonium salts. All protocols utilize mCPBA as oxidant and the acids used are either TfOH, to obtain triflate salts, or BF3•Et2O that gives the corresponding tetrafluoroborate salts in situ. Chapter two describes the reaction of various arenes and aryl iodides, delivering electron-rich and electron-deficient triflates in moderate to excellent yields. In chapter three, it is shown that the need of aryl iodides can be circumvented, as molecular iodine can be used together with arenes in a direct one-pot, three-step synthesis of symmetric diaryliodonium triflates. The final and fourth chapter describes the development of a sequential one-pot reaction from aryl iodides and boronic acids, delivering symmetric and unsymmetric, electron-rich and electron-deficient iodonium tetrafluoroborates in moderate to excellent yields. This protocol was developed to overcome mechanistic limitations existing in the protocols described in chapter two and three. The methodology described in this thesis is the most general, efficient and high-yielding existing up to date, making diaryliodonium salts easily available for various applications in synthesis.

This thesis has been divided into five sections. The first chapter introduces the main themes of this thesis, including the description of the concepts of supramolecular chemistry, crystal engineering, hydrogen bonding and graph set analysis. The final section of chapter one describes a typical X-ray experiment used to determine the structures of the compounds presented in this thesis. Chapter two describes the synthesis and single crystal structures of copper(I) complexes with pyridine- and pyrazine-carboxylic acids. A series of novel solvent inclusion compounds of copper(I) complexes with pyridine- and pyrazine-carboxylic acids and the hydrogen bonding patterns adopted are also discussed. Chapter three reports the potential uses of boronic acids as building blocks for the design of novel solid-state architectures utilising hydrogen bonds. Novel copper(I) pyridine-/pyrazine-carboxylate complexes with boronic acid co-crystals are presented in which the heterodimeric boronic carboxylate R22(8) ring motif is present in all cases. Chapter four discusses the synthesis of novel ditertiary phosphines bearing functional groups with hydrogen bonding potential either via a three-step or single step synthetic route which involves a well known method of reductive amination followed by an efficient Mannich-based condensation. Complexation studies of these P,P-bidentate ligands with various transition metal centres such as Pt(II), Mo(0), Ru(II) and Au(I) are also presented. The effect on the structural motifs observed in these series of compounds by the regioselective incorporation of functional groups with potential hydrogen bonding capability such as hydroxyl and amide is also given. Finally, chapter five contains the synthesis and coordination studies of new phosphorus donor ligands leading to ideas for further work.

La chiralité est une propriété essentielle des molécules naturelles, intervenant dans de nombreux mécanismes biologiques du vivant. Elle peut être caractérisée grâce à l’activité chiroptique des molécules chirales, à travers le dichroïsme circulaire, le pouvoir rotatoire, la dispersion rotatoire optique ou encore la luminescence polarisée circulairement. Les molécules biaryles et hélicéniques possèdent des propriétés chiroptiques intenses et sont des molécules de choix pour leurs applications dans de nombreux domaines, de la catalyse à l’optoélectronique.Les travaux réalisés au cours de cette thèse traitent de la synthèse de nouvelles molécules biaryles et hélicénoïdes et de l’étude de leurs propriétés spectroscopiques en interaction avec leur environnement. Dans un premier temps, nous avons effectué la synthèse de différentes familles de molécules à géométrie hélicoïdale possédant des systèmes aromatiques étendus. Afin de cibler des applications biologiques, nous avons également mis au point leur hydrosolubilisation par introduction de chaînes PEG. Dans un deuxième temps, nous nous sommes consacrés à l’étude de leurs propriétés spectroscopiques et en particulier chiroptiques en fonction de leur structure et de la dépendance de ces propriétés en présence de protons, de métaux ou d’acide désoxyribonucléique (ADN). Au cours de cette étude, une réaction photochimique inattendue a permis d’obtenir un produit photogénéré inédit présentant des interactions sélectives avec des ADN G-quadruplexes. Enfin, afin d’exploiter la modularité contrôlée des propriétés chiroptiques, nous avons travaillé sur un projet de conception de nouvelles molécules chirales pouvant détecter sélectivement les sucres en modifiant le squelette de ces molécules avec des acides boroniques. / Chirality is an essential property of natural molecules, involved in many living biological mechanisms. It can be characterized by the chiroptical activity of chiral molecules, through circular dichroism, rotatory power, optical rotatory dispersion or circularly polarized luminescence. Biaryl and helicenic molecules are known for their intense chiroptical properties and they can be used for their applications in many fields, going from catalysis to optoelectronics.The research carried out during this thesis deals with the synthesis of new biaryl and helicenoid molecules and the study of their spectroscopic properties in interaction with their environment. First, different families of helicoidal molecules with extended aromatic systems have been synthesized. In order to target biological applications, their hydrosolubilization was achieved by the addition of PEG chain. Then, we focused on their spectroscopic and especially chiroptical properties and their modulation according to their structures, their interaction with protons, metals or deoxyribonucleix acid (DNA). During these studies, we experienced an unexpected photochemical reaction, which lead to a new photogenerated product revealing selective interactions with DNA G-quadruplexes. Finally, in order to exploit the controlled modularity of chiroptical properties, new chiral molecules that selectively detecting sugars by with boronic acids have been designed.

Mimer les processus biologiques par des méthodes s'affranchissant de la nécessité d'activation enzymatique est un défi pour la communauté des chimistes. Parmi ces processus nous nous sommes intéressés à la ligation et la polymérisation d'acides nucléiques. Les procédés chimiques existants nécessitent généralement l'emploi d'un activateur et conduisent en majorité à des jonctions internucléosidiques irréversibles, incompatibles avec les systèmes vivants. Pour réaliser la ligation et la polymérisation réversibles d'ADN en l'absence d'activation chimique ou enzymatique, nous avons utilisé des oligonucléotides modifiés par une fonction acide boronique qui a la propriété de se lier de manière covalente et réversible avec des fonctions cis 1,2 diol.Un analogue de la thymidine fonctionnalisé par un acide boronique a ainsi été synthétisé et incorporé à l'extrémité 5' d'un oligonucléotide. En présence d'une matrice et d'un partenaire 3' diol, une jonction boronate peut alors être obtenue. L'influence de la nature des fonctions à l'extrémité 3' du partenaire a été étudiée afin de déterminer les paramètres gouvernant la ligation et a notamment conduit à la formation d'une jonction oxazaborolidine en présence d'un partenaire aminoalcool. Par ailleurs, cette méthodologie a été appliquée à des processus visant à mimer la polymérisation par la formation de multiples jonctions boronates entre des oligonucléotides bifonctionnalisés par un acide boronique et un diol. Enfin l'auto polymérisation d'un duplexe en l'absence de matrice a été évaluée. / Mimicry of biological processes by non enzymatic ways is a challenge for chemists. Among those processes, we have been focusing on the ligation and polymerization of nucleic acids. Reported chemical methods usually require an activator and lead mostly to irreversible internucleosidic linkage which are incompatible with living systems. To perform DNA ligation and polymerization under enzyme free and activator free conditions, we used modified oligonucleotides bearing a boronic acid function able to bind covalently and reversibly cis 1,2 diols.Thus, a thymidine analog functionalized by a boronic acid was synthesized and introduced at the 5' end of an oligonucleotide. In the presence of a template and a 3 end diol partner, a boronate junction can be obtained. Influence of the nature of functions at the 3' end of the partner have been studied to indentify the parameters governing the ligation and allowed the formation of an internucleosidic oxazaborolidine linkage with an aminoalcohol partner. In addition, this methodology has been applied to polymerization mimicking processes by the formation of multiple boronate junctions between bifunctionnal oligonucleotides bearing a boronic acid and a diol. Finally we evaluated the auto polymerization of a duplex in the absence of template.

RNAs have gained significant attention in recent years because they can fold into well-defined secondary or tertiary structures. These three dimensional architectures provide interfaces for specific RNA-RNA or RNA-protein interactions that are essential for biological processes in a living system. These discoveries greatly increased interest in RNA as a potential drug target for the treatment of diseases. Two of the most studied RNA based regulatory systems are HIV-1 trans-activating response element (TAR)/Tat replication pathway and Rev response element (RRE)/Rev export pathway. To efficiently target TAR and RRE RNA, we designed and synthesized three generations of branched peptide libraries that resulted in medium sized molecules. The first generation of BPs were discovered from screening a one-bead one-compound library (4,096 compounds) against HIV-1 TAR RNA. One peptide FL4 displayed a binding affinity of 600 nM to TAR RNA, which is tighter than its native protein counterpart, Tat. Biophysical characterization of these BP demonstrated that "branches" in BPs impart multivalency, and they are cell permeable and non-toxic. The second generation peptides were discovered from an on-bead high-throughput screening of a 3.3.4 branched peptide boronic acids (BPBAs) library that bind selectively to the tertiary structure of RRE IIB. The library comprised of 46,656 unique sequences. We demonstrate that our highest affinity BPBA (BPBA1) selectively binds RRE IIB in the presence of competitor tRNAs as well as against six RRE IIB structural variants. Further, we show that the boronic acid moieties afford a novel binding mode towards RNA that is tunable; their Lewis acidity has critical effects on binding affinity. In addition, biophysical characterizations provide evidence that "branching" in these peptides is a key structural motif for multivalent interactions with the target RNA. Finally, RNA footprinting studies revealed that the BPBA1 binding site encompasses a large surface area that spans both the upper stem as well as the internal loop regions of RRE IIB. BPBA1 is cell permeable and non-toxic. In the next generation of branched peptides, a 3.3.4 branched peptide library composed of 4,096 unique sequences that featured boronic acid and acridine moieties was designed. We chose acridine as the amino acid side chain due to its potential for π-stacking interaction that provides high binding affinity to RNA target. The library was screened against HIV-1 RRE IIB RNA. Fifteen peptides were sequenced and four contained acridine alone and/or in conjunction with boronic acid moieties displayed dissociation constants lower than 100 nM. The ribonuclease protection assays of A7, a sequence that contains both boronic acid and acridine residues, showed a similar protection pattern compared to previous peptide BPBA1, suggesting that the 3.3.4 branched peptides shared similar structural elements and contacted comparable regions of the RRE IIB RNA. The results from this research indicated that "branching" in peptides imparts multivalent interactions to the RNA, and that functional groups such as boronic acid and acridine are key structural features for efficient binding and selectivity for the folded RNA target. We demonstrated that the branched peptides are cell permeable and non-toxic. / Ph. D.

La chimie des acides boroniques englobe de multiples domaines comme les sciences analytiques, la synthèse organique et inorganique, la chimie médicinale et thérapeutique. L'aptitude des acides boroniques à se lier de façon covalente et réversible avec des fonctions cis-1,2-diol, naturellement présentent en position 2',3' des ribonucléosides, a été mise à profit pour la conception d'un nouveau lien internucléosidique boronate.La synthèse des 4 borononucléotides, analogues des 4 nucléotides 5'-monophosphates, a été effectuée. La formation de dimères entre ces boronoanalogues et les 4 ribonucléotides naturels a été étudiée par RMN 1H et spectroscopie UV, permettant de déterminer leurs constantes d'association. Le borononucléotide analogue de la TMP a ensuite été introduit à l'extrémité 5' d'oligonucléotides. La formation dirigée par une matrice de boronates internucléosidiques a alors été étudiée au niveau oligonucléotidique. Cette ligation réversible apparaît dépendante de stimuli externes tels que la température, le pH, la présence d'ions cyanure ou de fructose. La nature de la matrice, l'influence de mésappariements ainsi que le nombre de jonctions modifiées ont ensuite été évalués. Enfin, à l'instar de la PCR, la polymérisation dirigée de sondes trimériques 3'-ribo 5'-B(OH)2 a été réalisée en présence d'une amorce.Parallèlement à ces travaux, nous avons développé de nouvelles applications du réactif de Bestmann-Ohira en synthèse organique, notamment au travers de réactions monotopes. / The chemistry of boronic acids is involved in many fields such as analytical sciences, organic and inorganic synthesis, medicinal and therapeutic chemistries. The ability of boronic acids to bind covalently and reversibly cis-1,2-diol functions, which naturally occur in 2',3' position of ribonucleosides, has been employed to design a new internucleosidic boronic ester linkages.For this purpose, the synthesis of the borononucleotide analogs of the 4 nucleotide 5'-monophosphates, has been undertaken. Dimeric association of the latters with the 4 natural ribonucleotides has been investigated by 1H NMR as well as UV spectroscopy and the binding constants have been determined. Following this study, the borononucleotide analog of TMP was introduced at the 5'-end of oligonucleotides. Thus, as we did at dimeric state, the formation of the internucleosidic boronic ester as been investigated at the oligonucleotide state in a template-directed fashion. This ligation has been demonstrated to be dependent on various external stimuli, such as, temperature, pH, presence of cyanide ions or fructose. The nature of the template, the influence of mismatches and the number of modified junctions tolerated by the system have also been investigated. Finally, a PCR-like template-directed polymerisation of 3'-ribo 5'-B(OH)2 trimeric probes has been successfully achieved in the presence of a primer.In parallel to this work, we develop new applications of the Bestmann-Ohira reagent in organic synthesis involving especially one-pot procedures.

Ce travail a tout d’abord porté sur la réactivité des dérivés borés puis sur la réaction de O-alkylation des alcools aromatiques. L’utilisation des composés borés est en plein essor. Ils sont employés comme partenaires de couplage dans la réaction de Suzuki et les réactions d’additions [1,4] catalysées au rhodium pour la synthèse de molécules à hautes valeurs ajoutées. La polarisation de la liaison C-B induit le caractère nucléophile de ces composés. Cette réactivité a été exploitée pour la formation de liaisons C-F par fluoration électrophile. L’utilisation de Selectfluor® comme agent de fluoration aboutit à de bons rendements. Toutefois, la nucléophilie des composés alkylborés peut être inversée par substitution nucléophile oxydante. Ainsi, une méthode créant des liaisons C-N a pu être développée et a permis la synthèse d’amides à partir de nitriles et de sels de trifluoroborates de potassium en présence de Cu(OAc)2 et BF3.OEt2. En vue de l’importance de la chimie des éthers en synthèse organique, une méthode de préparation d’éthers aryliques a été développée au laboratoire. En partant d’un système stœchiométrique en trifluorure de bore, un système catalytique impliquant du triflate de cérium a été mis au point. Afin de répondre au mieux au concept de la chimie verte, un système catalytique hétérogène, sans solvant, a été décrit. Dans ce cas, le catalyseur employé est le Nafion® NR50, facilement recyclable, sans perte d’activité, et conduisant à de bons rendements avec les alcools aliphatiques et aromatiques. Des amines aromatiques secondaires peuvent également être préparées par cette méthode / This thesis describes the study of the reactivity of boron compounds and the O-alkylation of aromatic alcohols. The use of boronic derivatives increased considerably over the past decades. There are used as cross-coupling partners in the Suzuki reaction and for 1,4 rhodium-catalyzed addition reaction. The nucleophilic nature of these compounds was induced by the C-B bond polarization. This peculiar reactivity was studied for the C-F bond formation. The use of Selectfluor® as fluorinating agent leads to good yields. Nevertheless, the polarity of the C-B bond could be reversed by oxidative nucleophilic substitution. Thus, C–N bond could be formed from nitriles and potassium trifluoroborate salts promoted by Cu(OAc)2 in the presence of BF3.OEt2. Due to the importance of ether chemistry in organic synthesis, the O-alkylation of phenol derivatives was achieved in the laboratory. From a stoichiometric amount of Lewis acid, BF3.OEt2, a catalytic system was developed involving cerium triflate. Then, the focus on green chemistry led to use a heterogeneous catalyst. Where Nafion® NR50 appears as a suitable catalyst for the ether synthesis

This thesis describes novel reaction protocols for the synthesis of diaryliodonium salts and also provides an insight to the mechanism of α-arylation of carbonyl compounds with diaryliodonium salts.  The first chapter gives a general introduction to the field of hypervalent iodine chemistry, mainly focusing on recent developments and applications of diaryliodonium salts. Chapter two describes the synthesis of electron-rich to electron-poor diaryliodonium triflates, in moderate to excellent yields from a range of arenes and iodoarenes. In chapter three, it is described that molecular iodine can be used together with arenes in a direct one-pot, three-step synthesis of symmetric diaryliodonium triflates. A large scale synthesis of bis(4-tert-butylphenyl)iodonium triflate is also described, controlled and verified by an external research group, further demonstrating the reliability of this methodology. The fourth chapter describes the development of a sequential one-pot synthesis of diaryliodonium salts from aryl iodides and boronic acids, furnishing symmetric and unsymmetric, electron-rich to electron-poor diaryliodonium tetrafluoroborates in moderate to excellent yields. This method was developed to overcome the regiochemical limitations imposed by the reaction mechanism in the protocols described in the preceding chapters. Chapter five describes a one-pot synthesis of heteroaromatic iodonium salts under similar conditions described in chapter two. The final chapter describes the reaction of enolates with chiral diaryliodonium salts or together with a phase transfer catalyst yielding racemic products. DFT calculations were performed, which revealed a low lying energy transition state (TS) between intermediates, which is believed to be responsible for the lack of selectivity observed in the experimental work. It is also proposed that a [2,3] rearrangement is preferred over a [1,2] rearrangement in the α-arylation of carbonyl compounds. The synthetic methodology described in this thesis is the most generally applicable, efficient and high-yielding to date for the synthesis of diaryliodonium salts, making these reagents readily available for various applications in synthesis.

La mise au point de méthodologies de synthèse permettant d’obtenir des substances énantiopures présentant une diversité structurale importante est une préoccupation majeure de la chimie contemporaine. L’efficacité de ces approches doit être désormais évaluée au regard de critères tel que la pureté optique et l’analyse de l’impact écologique des processus mis en jeu. Au cours de ce travail nous avons développé de nouvelles méthodologies permettant d’accéder à des γ-lactones polyfonctionnelles chirales. La 5-hydroxyfuran-2(5H)-one, petite molécule bio-sourcée, a servi d’élément clé pour la construction du cycle γ-lactone. Dans une première approche, des γ-lactones chirales possédant une grande diversité structurale ont été obtenues par une séquence réactionnelle « one pot ». Une première étape de catalyse organique a permis d’activer le transfert énantiosélectif d’acides boroniques sur la 5-hydroxyfuran-2(5H)-one ; l’adduit chiral obtenu a ensuite été engagé dans une réaction de Passerini pour construire le cycle lactone. Dans une deuxième partie, nous avons mis au point des réactions d’alkylation de γ-lactones, catalytiques et énantiosélectives, pour la formation de γ-lactones possédant un centre quaternaire. L’utilisation de complexes du palladium et de l’iridium a permis d’effectuer des réactions d’Alkylation Allylique Asymétrique avec un très bon contrôle de l’induction asymétrique. Le squelette carboné des lactones obtenues par AAA a permis d’effectuer une fonctionnalisation inédite d’hétérocycles aromatiques par des réactions sigmatropiques [3,3]. Enfin des réactions d’alkylations énantiosélectives induites par un catalyseur organique ont été évaluées. / The development of new synthetic pathway leading to enantiopure compounds with significant structural diversity is an ongoing challenge in many fields of chemistry. The efficiency of these processes has to be evaluated, not only in term of quantitative criteria, such as yields and/or optical purities of obtained compounds, but also by analyzing the environmental impact of the different processes involved. In this work, we sought to develop new methodologies for the synthesis of polyfunctional chiral γ-lactones. The 5-hydroxyfuran-2(5H)-one, a bio-based molecule, was used as a platform to the construction of the γ-lactone ring. In the first part of our work, a variety of chiral γ-lactone displaying a great structural diversity were obtained by a one-pot sequential reaction. First, a step of enantioselective organocatalysis allowed the activation for the transfer of boronic acids on the hydroxyfuran-2(5H)-one; then the chiral adduct formed was engaged in a Passerini reaction leading to the construction of the lactone ring. In a second part, our efforts focused then on the development of catalytic asymmetric alkylation reactions leading to the construction of γ-lactones bearing an all-carbon quaternary stereocenter. Asymmetric allylic reactions were carried out with a very good control of the selectivity of the reaction by the use of palladium and iridium complexes catalysts. Theses lactones bearing an [1,5]-diene scaffold were then engaged in a sigmatropic [3,3] reaction opening a path for a new approach to the functionalization of aromatic heterocycles. Finally, the use of organic enantioselective catalysis was envisioned for the creation of all-quaternary stereocenters.