Benzonaphthalene derivatives, a process for their preparation and their use in therapeutic and cosmetic compositions

A process for preparing a compound having the formula ##STR11## comprising coupling, in an anhydrous solvent and in the presence of, as a reaction catalyst, a transition metal or a complex thereof, a magnesium, lithium or zinc derivative of a compound of the formula ##STR12## with a halogenated naphthalene compound of the formula ##STR13## wherein R.sub.1 represents (i) ##STR14## or (ii) --CH.sub.2 OH, R.sub.6 represents ##STR15## or OR.sub.7 wherein R.sub.7 represents hydrogen, alkyl having 1-20 carbon atoms, monohydroxyalkyl or polyhydroxyalkyl, r' and R" represent hydrogen, lower alkyl, mono or polyhydroxyalkyl, aryl or a residue of an amino acid or an amino sugar selected from the group consisting of glucosamine, galactosamine and mannosamine, or together form a heterocycle selected from the group consisting of piperidino, piperazino, morpholino and pyrrolidino,

• R.sub.2 represents hydrogen, branched or straight chain alkyl having 1-15 carbon atoms, alkoxy having 1-4 carbon atoms or a cycloaliphatic radical,
• R.sub.3 represents hydrogen, hydroxy, branched or straight chain alkyl having 1-4 carbon atoms, alkoxy having 1-10 carbon atoms, a cycloaliphatic radical selected from the group consisting of 1-methyl cyclohexyl and 1-adamantyl, a thiocycloaliphatic radical, or --O--Si(CH.sub.3).sub.2 --R.sub.8 wherein R.sub.8 represents linear or branched lower alkyl,
• R.sub.4 and R.sub.5, each independently, represent hydrogen, lower alkyl, hydroxy or lower acyloxy, and
• X and Y represent Cl, Br, F or I.