Intragenic regions (introns) are found in all classes of organism. Transcription of such genes must undergo a splicing reaction to produce the mature, functional form of RNAs. Introns can be divided into four categories by their splicing mechanisms, namely Group I, Group II, spliceosomal, and nuclear tRNA introns. The former two are self-splicing introns. Group I introns are ubiquitous, however, most metazoan mitochondrial genomes lack introns. A novel group I intron in the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I gene (cox1) of Cinachyrella auctraliensis, which belongs to the IB2 subgroup, encodes a putative homing endonuclease with two amino acid motifs of the LAGLIDADG family. The homing endonuclease may perform intron translocation. Splicing in the cox1 of the sponge was demonstrated by comparing the length of DNA and RNA sequences. The intron was spliced in vivo or in vitro as revealed by RT-PCR and sequencing. Group I introns are classified as ribozymes. The pre-mRNAs fold into specific configurations that facilitate attacks of free guanosine followed by two consecutive trans-esterification steps to remove the introns. The excised cox1 intron was found to form a circle with the 5¡¦-end linked to the 3¡¦-end. Two other forms of lariats were also found with the 5¡¦-end linked to the inside sequence of the intron. Mutagenesis of a key nucleotide, which participates base pairing of RNA secondary structure, in P7 region decreased the splicing activity of the intron.

DNA bending plays a vital role in numerous cellular activities such as transcription, viral packaging, and nucleosome formation. Therefore, understanding the physics of DNA bending at the length scales relevant to these processes is one of the main keys to the quantitative description of life. However, previous studies provide a divided picture on how DNA should be modeled in strong bending condition relevant to biology. My thesis is devoted to answering how far an elastic rod model can be applied to DNA. We consider several subtle features that could potentially lead to the break-down of the worm-like chain model, such as local bendedness of the sequence and large bending angles. We used single-molecule Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer to track looping and unlooping of single DNA molecules in real time. We compared the measured looping and unlooping rates with theoretical predictions of the worm-like chain model. We found that the intrinsic curvature of the sequence affects the looping propensity of short DNA and an extended worm-like chain model including the helical parameters of individual base pairs could adequately explain our measurements. For DNA with random sequence and negligible curvature, we discovered that the worm-like chain model could explain the stability of small DNA loops only down to a critical loop size. Below the critical loop size, the bending stress stored in the DNA loop became less sensitive to loop size, indicative of softened dsDNA. The critical loop size is sensitive to salt condition, especially to magnesium at mM concentrations. This finding enabled us to explain several contrasting results in the past and shed new light on the energetics of DNA bending.

Recent work has shown that sulfones are unique synthetic tools capable of undergoing numerous transformations and reactions. The sulfone group is a strong electron withdrawing group and has the ability to stabilize an α-sulfonyl carbanion. As such, unsaturated sulfones can undergo a variety of reactions, i.e. conjugate additions, alkylation etc. Beside this, α sulfonyl carbanion can be generated with strong base and α sulfonyl carbanion can also be used in various reactions. This report is an investigation of a novel base induced cyclization of various alkynyl sulfones. The results revealed that the reaction does not significantly depend on the electronic effects of substituents in the aromatic ring. Additional versatility in this process was demonstrated with respect to a diverse array of functionality at various positions i.e. benzylic position, aromatic ring and terminal position of alkyne. These alkynyl sulfones, bearing a larger group at ortho position and any group at benzylic position underwent intramolecular cyclization when treated with base affording benzothiopyran S,S-dioxide. The results demonstrated that the cyclization efficiency was significantly influenced by the steric effects of substituents of aromatic ring at ortho positions and blocking the terminal position with phenyl since the cyclization reaction gave low or no yields with aromatic rings having a substituent at para, meta or to position than those having no substituent. It was also found that 2-thiophenylmethyl sulfones cyclize more efficiently than benzyl and furfuryl sulfones. The evidence from mechanistic studies points to a mechanism for the cyclization that involves disruption of aromaticity. To disrupt aromaticity, a deprotonation at benzylic position is a requirement for this cyclization reaction. Results suggest that the cyclization also requires an available hydrogen at the point where the potential ring would be fused. Several intermediates were also observed spectroscopically and identified by ReactIR®.

Darbo tikslas – ištirti heterociklinių junginių, gretimose padėtyse turinčių etinil– ir formilfragmentus, ciklizacijos reakcijas su įvairiais nukleofiliniais reagentais. Darbo metu buvo rastas naujas ir efektyvus pirido[4,3–d]pirimidinų sintezės būdas kurio esmė yra 4–ariletinil–5–pirimidinkarbaldehidų terminė ar mikrobangų inicijuojama reakcija su tret–butilaminu. Parodyta, kad 2–alkinilchinolin–3–karbaldehidai dalyvauja trikomponentinėse reakcijose su pirmininiais aminais ir C– bei P-pronukleofilais sudarydami 1,2–dihidrobenzo[b][1,6]naftiridinus. Pasiūlytas naujas, universalus ir efektyvus būdas benzanuliuotoms sistemoms sintetinti panaudojant metilmerkaptoacetato kalio druską metanolyje. Rasti regioselektyvūs 5,7–dihidrofuro[3,4–d]pirimidinų, 5(H)–pirano[4,3–d]pirimidinų, 1,3–dihidrofuro[3,4–b]chinolinų ir 1H–pirano[4,3–b]chinolinų sintezės būdai tandeminių 5–egzo–dig ir 6–endo–dig ciklizacijos reakcijų pagalba. Rastas efektyvus būdas 2–(2–aril(alkil)–2–oksoetil)–1H–indol–3–karbaldehidams sintetinti iš 2–alkinil–1H–indol–3–karbaldehidų ir metanolio katalizuojant sidabro druskoms. Parodyta, kad 2–alkinilchinolin–3–karbaldehidai reaguodami su dimetilfosfitu bazinėje terpėje sudaro prisijungimo produktus dimetilhidroksi– (2–pakeistus-chinolin–3–il)metilfosfonatus. Pastarieji, esant bazės pertekliaus, persigrupuoja į atitinkamus dimetil–(2–pakeistus-chinolin–3–il)metilfosfatus. Nustatyta, kad 2–(2–piridinil)etinilchinolin–3–karbaldehidas ir 6–ariletinilpirimidin–... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / The main aims of this investigation were to investigate cyclization reactions of electron–deficient 6–alkynylpyrimidine–5–carbaldehydes and 2–alkynylquinoline–3–carbaldehydes, and electron–rich 2–alkynylindole–3–carbaldehydes and 2–alkynylthiophene–3–carbaldehydes with N–, S–. O–, C– and P–nucleophiles. It was found, that 6–arylethinylpyrimidine–5–carbaldehydes under the treatment with tert–butylamine underwent thermal or microwave–induced cyclization reaction to form pyrido[4,3–d]pyrimidines. A novel and fast synthetic method for preparation of 1,2,3–trisubstituted 1,2–dihydrobenzo[b][1,6]naphthyridines by means of a three–component reaction between 2–alkynylquinoline–3–carbaldehydes, primary amines and C– or P–pronucleophiles was developed. It was showed, that methyl mercaptoacetate was able to trigger a novel benzannulation reaction of the starting materials. Novel, concise and regioselective synthetic methods of 5,7–dihydrofuro[3,4–d]pyrimidine, 5H–pyrano[4,3–d]pyrimidine, 1,3–dihydrofuro[3,4–b]quinolines and 1H–pyrano[4,3–b]quinolines frameworks via regioselective acetalisation/cyclization reactions of 2,4–disubstituted 6–phenylethynylpyrimidine–5–carbaldehydes and 2–alkynylquinoline–3–carbaldehydes were developed. A relatively short and efficient synthesis of 2–(2–oxoethyl)–1H–indole–3–carbaldehydes via tandem 6–endo–dig cyclization from 2–alkynylindole–3–carbaldehydes was developed. It was found that 2–alkynylquinoline–3–carbaldehydes react with dimethylphosphite in... [to full text]

The main aims of this investigation were to investigate cyclization reactions of electron–deficient 6–alkynylpyrimidine–5–carbaldehydes and 2–alkynylquinoline–3–carbaldehydes, and electron–rich 2–alkynylindole–3–carbaldehydes and 2–alkynylthiophene–3–carbaldehydes with N–, S–. O–, C– and P–nucleophiles. It was found, that 6–arylethinylpyrimidine–5–carbaldehydes under the treatment with tert–butylamine underwent thermal or microwave–induced cyclization reaction to form pyrido[4,3–d]pyrimidines. A novel and fast synthetic method for preparation of 1,2,3–trisubstituted 1,2–dihydrobenzo[b][1,6]naphthyridines by means of a three–component reaction between 2–alkynylquinoline–3–carbaldehydes, primary amines and C– or P–pronucleophiles was developed. It was showed, that methyl mercaptoacetate was able to trigger a novel benzannulation reaction of the starting materials. Novel, concise and regioselective synthetic methods of 5,7–dihydrofuro[3,4–d]pyrimidine, 5H–pyrano[4,3–d]pyrimidine, 1,3–dihydrofuro[3,4–b]quinolines and 1H–pyrano[4,3–b]quinolines frameworks via regioselective acetalisation/cyclization reactions of 2,4–disubstituted 6–phenylethynylpyrimidine–5–carbaldehydes and 2–alkynylquinoline–3–carbaldehydes were developed. A relatively short and efficient synthesis of 2–(2–oxoethyl)–1H–indole–3–carbaldehydes via tandem 6–endo–dig cyclization from 2–alkynylindole–3–carbaldehydes was developed. It was found that 2–alkynylquinoline–3–carbaldehydes react with dimethylphosphite in... [to full text] / Darbo tikslas – ištirti heterociklinių junginių, gretimose padėtyse turinčių etinil– ir formilfragmentus, ciklizacijos reakcijas su įvairiais nukleofiliniais reagentais. Darbo metu buvo rastas naujas ir efektyvus pirido[4,3–d]pirimidinų sintezės būdas kurio esmė yra 4–ariletinil–5–pirimidinkarbaldehidų terminė ar mikrobangų inicijuojama reakcija su tret–butilaminu. Parodyta, kad 2–alkinilchinolin–3–karbaldehidai dalyvauja trikomponentinėse reakcijose su pirmininiais aminais ir C– bei P-pronukleofilais sudarydami 1,2–dihidrobenzo[b][1,6]naftiridinus. Pasiūlytas naujas, universalus ir efektyvus būdas benzanuliuotoms sistemoms sintetinti panaudojant metilmerkaptoacetato kalio druską metanolyje. Rasti regioselektyvūs 5,7–dihidrofuro[3,4–d]pirimidinų, 5(H)–pirano[4,3–d]pirimidinų, 1,3–dihidrofuro[3,4–b]chinolinų ir 1H–pirano[4,3–b]chinolinų sintezės būdai tandeminių 5–egzo–dig ir 6–endo–dig ciklizacijos reakcijų pagalba. Rastas efektyvus būdas 2–(2–aril(alkil)–2–oksoetil)–1H–indol–3–karbaldehidams sintetinti iš 2–alkinil–1H–indol–3–karbaldehidų ir metanolio katalizuojant sidabro druskoms. Parodyta, kad 2–alkinilchinolin–3–karbaldehidai reaguodami su dimetilfosfitu bazinėje terpėje sudaro prisijungimo produktus dimetilhidroksi– (2–pakeistus-chinolin–3–il)metilfosfonatus. Pastarieji, esant bazės pertekliaus, persigrupuoja į atitinkamus dimetil–(2–pakeistus-chinolin–3–il)metilfosfatus. Nustatyta, kad 2–(2–piridinil)etinilchinolin–3–karbaldehidas ir 6–ariletinilpirimidin–... [toliau žr. visą tekstą]

The ascidian isolation artifact didemnaketal A is a highly oxygenated polyisoprenoid capable of inhibiting HIV-1 protease through an unusual dissociative mechanism. However, recent synthetic efforts have cast doubt on stereochemical assignments in the originally published structure. In the interest of elucidating the true structure of didemnaketal A through total synthesis, we present a strategy for rapidly accessing the putative spiroketal fragment by exploiting its latent symmetry. In a single step, double Sharpless asymmetric dihydroxylation reactions (SAD) allowed us to simultaneously set all seven stereogenic centers and assemble this complex fragment from non-chiral material. The precursor was obtainable through a racemic synthesis in which the geometric isomers of a nine-membered cyclic enone converged in a ring-opening cross metathesis reaction (ROCM). / Graduate / 0490 / jdavy@uvic.ca

Abstract The broad aim of this thesis is to structurally and functionally explore two α-conotoxins, from venomous sea snails, Vc1.1 and RgIA, in the hope of improving their journey to becoming analgesic therapeutics (introduction to conotoxins in Chapter 1). Vc1.1 is a two-disulfide peptide that is of interest as a potential therapeutic for the treatment of neuropathic pain. Despite investigations, limited structure-activity relationships have been conducted on this α-conotoxin. Consequently there is restricted insight into the interaction of this peptide with one of its analgesic targets, the α9α10 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR). Late in this PhD project, the GABAB receptor was implicated as the possible target for conotoxins in neuropathic pain relief. However, there is still debate in the literature with regard to the true target of Vc1.1 and the α9α10 nAChR is still believed to be the target by some groups. This thesis predominantly focuses on the α9α10 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor. Chapter 4 of this thesis presents an extensive series of mutational studies in which all residues except the conserved cysteines were mutated separately to Ala, Asp or Lys (materials and methods described in Chapter 3) and examined using NMR spectroscopy (theory of NMR presented in Chapter 2), to determine the effects of the mutations on the structure of Vc1.1. The structural fold was found to be preserved in all peptides except where Pro was substituted. Chapter 5 explores the effect of these mutations on the blocking of acetylcholine (ACh)-evoked membrane currents at the α9α10 nAChR. Electrophysiological studies showed that the key residues for Vc1.1’s activity are Asp5-Arg7 and Asp11-Ile15, as changes at these positions resulted in the loss of activity at the α9α10 nAChR. Interestingly, the S4K and N9A analogs were more potent than Vc1.1 itself. Hence, Chapter 6 describes a second generation of mutants that was synthesized, namely N9G, N9I, N9L, S4R and S4K+N9A, all of which were more potent than Vc1.1 at both the rat α9α10 and the human α9/rat α10 hybrid receptor, providing a mechanistic insight into the key residues involved in eliciting the biological function of Vc1.1. The most potent analogs were also tested at the α3β2, α3β4 and α7 nAChR subtypes to determine their selectivity. All mutants tested were most selective for the α9α10 nAChR. These findings provide valuable insight into the interaction of Vc1.1 with the α9α10 nAChR subtype and will help in the further development of Vc1.1 or its analogs as drugs. However, despite peptides exhibiting high degrees of potency and selectivity, such as Vc1.1 and RgIA, they are potentially hindered in their development as drugs due to their stability and bioavailability limitations, leading to invasive delivery techniques. Chapter 7 presents a range of cyclic RgIA analogs, tested at their targets the α9α10 nAChR and the GABAB receptor, that retain their activity and increase their stability in human serum relative to non-cyclic RgIA. NMR spectroscopy was used to determine the structure of the non-cyclic peptide and the cyclic peptide to confirm similarities in the global fold of the peptide. Structural perturbations and reduced activities were observed for cyclic RgIA analogs cyclized via linkers composed of three and four residues. Analogs with five, six and seven residues showed no structural perturbations, but differences in their activities at the different receptors. Because cRgIA-6 showed high potency for the GABAB receptor and lower potency for the α9α10 nAChR, this study has identified a GABAB selective peptide. Additionally, because the cRgIA-7 showed high potency for the α9α10 nAChR and low potency for the GABAB receptor, a α9α10 nAChR selective analog has also been identified. With improvements in these peptides against enzymatic attack, they show great potential on their path to becoming orally available analgesics as they may be able to withstand enzymatic conditions in the stomach.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Uppsala : Univ., 2002. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.

Abstract: Owing to the light-induced switching between their trans- and cis-isomers, azobenzenes display a wide range of applications including stimuli-responsive polymers, acid-base indicators, colorful systems, liquid crystals, and bio-medicals. In the past decades, much research on azobenzenes has been carried out and they have become a growing research topic. Particularly, the synthetic methodology of azobenzene derivatives has become mature. However, a general synthetic method of furnishing the bis- and tris-azobenzene compounds in one step is still lacking, and the study of bis-azobenzene is nearly blank including the solution properties and applications. In this thesis, we focus on the design, and preparation of bis-, tris- and small cyclic azobenzene derivatives; followed by a further investigation of their properties in solution. We also explore the preparation and applications of azobenzene-based stimuli-responsive polymeric materials. The first chapter describes an efficient strategy for the synthesis of bis- and tris-azobenzene derivatives. In this synthetic pathway, the bis- and tris-azobenzenes could be obtained in one pot, together with mono-azobenzene side products. By modifying the reaction conditions, the yields of the azobenzene compounds were mainly dependent on the substituents on the phenols and diazonium salts, and the molar ratio of starting materials. Compared with the unsubstituted aniline, the use of anilines with electron-withdrawing groups, leading to electron-deficient diazonium salts, favors the formation of mono-azobenzenes, rather than bis-azobenzenes. Whereas, anilines with electron-donating groups are not efficient during the first step leading to the formation of mono-azobenzene and thus favor the generation of bis-azobenzenes. Large amounts of anilines (over two-fold and three-fold excess), are the best choice to obtain bis- and tris-azobenzenes in good yields. In Chapter 2, we describe a novel method for the cyclization of mono- and bis-azobenzenes without ultraviolet light to form seven-membered heterocycles. The starting materials contain ortho-fluoro atom and ortho-phenol groups on the phenyl rings of the azobenzene systems. The role of the fluoro substituent is twofold. It promotes the stability of the cis-form of the azobenzene and it acts as a leaving group when its carbon atom neighbor is attacked by the phenolate. The nature of solvents was found to have a pronounced effect on the spontaneous cyclization reaction by stabilizing the  intermediate complex. The cyclization rate could be accelerated under the UV irradiation and by using more polar solvents. Due to the competing keto-enol tautomerizations and cyclizations, we observed complicated changes in UV-vis absorption and color of solutions over time. It was revealed that, for ortho-hydroxyl azobenzenes with ortho-fluorine atom in polar solvents, the trans-to-cis isomerization and cyclization happened under daylight, and keto-enol tautomerization occurred in the dark. In Chapter 3, we studied a class of novel dual-responsive (photo- and thermo-) copolymers by modifying Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) with bis-azobenzene moieties. The copolymers were prepared from a free radical copolymerization of N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) and bis-azobenzenes bearing electron-donating or electron-accepting substituents. It was found that bis-azobenzene moieties could influence the cloud point of aqueous copolymer solution due to the photoisomerization of bis-azobenzenes and the conformation of polymer chain upon the photoreactions. Varying substituents on bis-azobenzene moieties, the copolymer solutions displayed an opposite cloud point shift after the photoreactions of the chromophores. When the substituents on azobenzene have push-pull feature, the polymer chains prefer aggregation after UV irradiation, which decreases the cloud point. By contrast, the cloud point shifts to higher temperature upon UV light irradiation when the bis-azobenzenes bears the donors, which is caused by cis-isomer being more hydrophilic than the trans-isomer. However, the effect of photoisomerization of azobenzene on the cloud point shift appears to be greater on PNIPAM containing mono-azobenzene pendent groups. / En raison de la commutation induite par la lumière entre leurs isomères trans et cis, les azobenzènes affichent une gamme étendue d'applications. On y retrouve des polymères sensibles aux stimuli, des indicateurs acido-basiques, des systèmes colorés, des cristaux liquides et des matériaux aux applications biomédicales. Dans les dernières décennies, de nombreuses recherches sur les azobenzènes ont été menées et ils sont devenues un sujet de plus en plus important. En particulier, la méthodologie de synthèse des dérivés d'azobenzène est devenue mature. Cependant, une méthode synthétique générale pour l’obtention des composés bis- et tris-azobenzène en une seule étape est encore manquante, et l'étude du bis-azobenzène est presque vierge, y compris les propriétés et les applications en solution. Dans cette thèse, nous nous concentrons sur la conception et la préparation de bis-, tris- et de petits dérivés cycliques de l'azobenzène. Ce premier volet est suivi d'une étude plus poussée de leurs propriétés en solution. Nous explorons également la préparation et l'application de matériaux polymères d'azobenzène, réagissant à plusieurs stimulations. Le premier chapitre décrit une stratégie efficace pour la synthèse des dérivés bis- et tris-azobenzène. Dans cette voie de synthèse, les bis- et tris-azobenzènes peuvent être obtenus dans un pot réactionnel, avec des produits secondaires mono-azobenzène. En modifiant les conditions de réaction, les rendements des composés azobenzène dépendent principalement des substituants sur les phénols et les sels de diazonium, et du rapport molaire des produits de départ. Par rapport à l'aniline non substituée, l'utilisation d'anilines avec des groupes électroattracteurs, conduisant à des sels de diazonium déficients en électrons, favorise la formation de monoazobenzènes plutôt que de bis-azobenzènes. En revanche, les anilines à groupements donneurs d'électrons ne sont pas efficaces au cours de la première étape conduisant à la formation de monoazobenzènes et favorisent ainsi la génération de bis-azobenzènes. De grandes quantités d'anilines (excès de plus de deux et trois fois) sont le meilleur choix pour obtenir des bis- et tris-azobenzènes avec de bons rendements. Dans le chapitre 2, nous décrivons une nouvelle méthode de cyclisation des mono- et bis-azobenzènes, sans lumière ultraviolette, pour former des hétérocycles à sept chaînons. Les produits de départ contiennent des groupes ortho-fluoro et orthophénol sur les cycles phényle des systèmes azobenzène. Le rôle du substituant fluoro est double. Il favorise la stabilité de la forme cis de l'azobenzène et agit comme un groupe partant lorsque son atome de carbone voisin est attaqué par le phénolate. La nature des solvants s'est avérée avoir un effet prononcé sur la réaction de cyclisation spontanée en stabilisant le complexe intermédiaire . La vitesse de cyclisation peut être accélérée sous l'irradiation UV et en utilisant des solvants plus polaires. En raison des tautomérisations céto-énol et des cyclisations en compétition, nous avons observé que l’évolution des spectres d'absorption UV-vis et de la couleur des solutions au fil du temps était compliqué. Il a été révélé que, pour les ortho-hydroxyl azobenzènes avec un atome d'ortho-fluor dans les solvants polaires, l'isomérisation et la cyclisation trans-cis se produisaient à la lumière du jour et que la tautomérisation céto-énol se produisait dans l'obscurité. Dans le chapitre 3, nous avons étudié une classe de nouveaux copolymères biosensibles (photo- et thermo-) en modifiant le poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) avec des portions bis-azobenzène. Les copolymères ont été préparés à partir d'une copolymérisation radicalaire de N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) et de bis-azobenzènes portant des substituants donneurs ou accepteurs d'électrons. Il a été constaté que les fragments bis-azobenzène pouvaient influencer le point de trouble de la solution aqueuse de copolymère en raison de la photoisomérisation des bis-azobenzènes et de la conformation de la chaîne polymère lors des photoréactions. En changeant les substituants sur les fragments bis-azobenzène, les solutions de copolymères présentaient un décalage du point de trouble opposé après les photoréactions des chromophores. Lorsque les substituants sur l'azobenzène ont une influence «push-pull», les chaînes polymères préfèrent l'agrégation après l'irradiation UV, ce qui diminue le point de trouble. En revanche, le point de trouble passe à une température plus élevée lors de l'irradiation par la lumière UV lorsque les bis-azobenzènes portent des donneurs, ce qui est dû au fait que l'isomère cis est plus hydrophile que l'isomère trans. Cependant, l'effet de la photo-isomérisation de l'azobenzène sur le décalage du point de trouble semble être plus important sur les groupes pendants mono-azobenzène contenant du PNIPAM.

Les O-glycoconjugués et les dérivés glycosidiques sont des composés naturels impliqués dans de nombreux processus biologiques. Cependant, leurs propriétés sont grevées par la médiocre stabilité in vivo de la liaison osidique. Il est donc intéressant de développer des mimes non hydrolysables. Nous nous sommes intéressés au remplacement de l’oxygène intracyclique par un groupement gem-difluorométhylène.La synthèse d’analogues difluorocarbocycliques de 5-désoxypentofuranoses et de 1-amino-5-désoxypentofuranoses a été décrite. La synthèse comporte une addition dePhSeCF2TMS sur des aldéhydes dérivés de sucres ou sur les tert-butanesulfinylimines correspondantes, suivie d’une cyclisation radicalaire. La diastéréosélectivité de ces deux étapes-clés a été étudiée, puis cette stratégie de synthèse a été appliquée à la synthèse deCF2-carbasucres, notamment l’analogue CF2-carbocyclique du D-arabinose. / O-Glycoconjugates and carbohydrate-based molecules are natural compoundsimplied in many biological processes. However, their properties are burdened by the low invivo stability of the osidic bond. It is thus interesting to develop non hydrolyzable mimetics.We were interested in the replacement of the intracyclic oxygen by a gem-difluoromethylenegroup.The synthesis of difluorinated carbocyclic analogues of 5-deoxypentofuranoses and1-amino-5-deoxypentofuranoses is described. The sequence involves an addition ofPhSeCF2TMS to carbohydrate-derived aldehydes or their corresponding tertbutanesulfinyliminesfollowed by a radical cyclization. The stereochemical outcome of these two key steps was studied, and then this strategy was applied to CF2-carbasugars, inparticular of the CF2-carbocyclic analogue of D-arabinose.