Le nombre de cancers et notamment de cancers photoinduits étant en augmentation, il est indispensable d’identifier de nouvelles molécules protectrices de type filtres UV, réparatrices vis-à-vis des altérations de l’ADN mais également favorisant la réponse pigmentaire. Les lichens sont des organismes originaux qui possèdent des qualités de résistance remarquables aux rayonnements solaires dues notamment à la production de métabolites photoprotecteurs tels que les mycosporines. A partir de ce motif structural original, nous avons synthétisé divers analogues par catalyse à l’or en utilisant un outil de la chimie théorique (TD-DFT) pour orienter les synthèses. Les premières évaluations de leurs propriétés physico-chimiques des molécules ont montré des activités prometteuses. / For several years, melanoma is the cancer with 84,000 new cases per year in Europe, including over 7000 cases in France, in 2010. One of the major causes of this cancer is the excessive exposure to UV radiations and it has been suggested that UV-A may be the primary cause of sunlight-induced melanoma. Hence, sunscreens with a good absorption in the UV-A spectral range need to be developed with a good efficacy and photostability. Lichens are original sources for the development of new UV filters because they possess ability to absorb UV due to the presence of metabolites such as mycosporines or MAAs (mycosporines like aminoacid). Based on the general structure of mycosporines, we have synthesized various analogues of mycosporines using a gold-catalyzed strategy. To orientate the synthesis, we used the method of the quantum chemistry: TD-DFT (Time-dependent density functional theory). These products were analyzed for their UV profiles and some of them showed good absorbing properties in UVA range. The cytotoxicity assay showed no toxicity of all products evaluated.

The aim of this D.Phil was to develop a range of cyclisation cascades, which initially form a reactive iminium intermediates that can then be attacked by a pendant nucleophile resulting in novel polycyclic structures. This concept has been applied to the development of three methodologies and has resulted in the discovery of new reactivity as well as the synthesis of a wide range of interesting novel structures <b>Chapter 1: Enantioselective chiral-BINOL-phosphoric acid catalysed reaction cascade</b> A highly enantioselective hydroamination / N-sulfonyliminium cyclisation cascade using a combination of Au(I) and chiral phosphoric acid catalysts has been developed. Proceeding by an initial 5-exo-dig hydroamination and a subsequent phosphoric acid catalysed Pictet- Spengler cyclisation, the reaction provides access to complex sulfonamide scaffolds in excellent yields and with high levels of enantiocontrol. The scope can be extended to lactam derivatives, with excellent yields and enantiomeric excesses of up to 93&percnt; ee. <b>Chapter 2: Iridium catalysed nitro-Mannich cyclisation</b> A new chemoselective reductive nitro-Mannich cyclisation reaction sequence of nitroalkyltethered lactams has been developed. An initial rapid and chemoselective iridium(I) catalysed reduction of lactams to the corresponding enamine is subsequently followed by intra molecular nitro-Mannich cyclisation. This methodology provides direct access to important alkaloid, natural product-like structures in yields up to 81&percnt; and in diastereoselectivities that are typically good to excellent. An in-depth understanding of the reaction mechanism has been gained through NMR studies and characterisation of reaction intermediates. The new methodology has been applied to the total synthesis of (&plusmn;)-epi-epiquinamide in 4 steps. <b>Chapter 3: Iridium catalysed reductive interrupted Pictet-Spengler cyclisation</b> A novel reductive interrupted Pictet-Spengler cyclisation reaction cascade has been created. An iridium(I) catalyzed partial reduction of lactams/amides to the corresponding iminium is subsequently trapped by a pendant indole nucleophile. Interruption of the Pictet-Spengler reaction by indolium reduction provides a wide range of novel spirocyclic indoline moieties in excellent yield and diastereoselectivity.