C-C bond formation constitutes a key research field of organic chemistry. Among all existing techniques, olefinmetathesis turned out to be a revolution, especially since efficient and functional groups tolerant catalysts havebeen developed. Herein, the application of this reaction has been considered to three targets of biological interest:diospongin A, nhatrangin A and berkeleyamide A.Numerous bioactive natural products belong to 1,7-diarylheptanoïd or 1,9-diarylnonanoïd families.Springing from the first one, diospongin A revealed promising anti-osteoporotic properties. Conversely, no naturalproduct from 1,8-diaryloctanoïds has been reported to date. Willing to study the potential activity of suchcompounds, several diospongin A homologues series have been synthesized, involving especially a Prinscyclisation for the formation of a common tetrahydropyran scaffold, followed by a cross metathesis / Wackeroxidation sequence, for the introduction of the chemical diversity.Nhatrangin A, recently isolated from the cyanobacteria Lyngbya majuscula, has showed a potentialactivity against the CoL-2 human cancer cell line. As no total synthesis of this molecule has been reported todate, four disconnections have been considered herein, respectively involving a ring closing metathesis, a crossmetathesis, an enantioselective organocatalysed Michael addition or a Myers diastereoselective alkylation as keystep. All these approaches have in common the use of a trans aldol reaction. An advanced intermediate has thusbeen obtained.Berkeleyamide A, isolated from the fungus Penicillium rubrum, possess a micromolar inhibitive activitytoward MMP-3 and caspases-1 enzymes, taking part in particular in cancer cells growth. Three total synthesis ofthis molecule have already been reported, all sharing to start from the chiral pool. Two “retron” approaches havebeen considered herein, involving especially an imine diastereoselective allylation, a cross metathesis and a Hecktype cyclisation. This led to the obtaining of the carbon backbone of the molecule.
