Farnesyl transferase inhibitors, preparation thereof, and pharmaceutical compositions containing same

A compound of formula:

• ##STR5## in which:
• R.sub.1 represents a radical of formula Y--S--A.sub.1 --;
• Y represents a hydrogen atom, an amino acid residue, a fatty acid residue, an alkyl radical, an alkoxycarbonyl radical or a R.sub.4 --S-- radical;
• R.sub.4 represents an alkyl radical of 1 to 6 carbon atoms, optionally substituted by a phenyl radical, or a radical of formula ##STR6## A.sub.1 represents a straight or branched alkylene radical of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, optionally substituted at the position .alpha. to the >C(X.sub.1)(Y.sub.1) group by an amino radical, an alkylamino radical of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, an alkanoylamino radical of 1 to 4 carbon atoms or an alkoxycarbonylamino radical in which the alkyl part is of 1 to 4 carbon atoms;
• X.sub.1 and Y.sub.1 each represent a hydrogen atom or form, together with the carbon atom to which they are bonded, a >C.dbd.O group;
• R.sub.2 represents a straight or branched alkyl radical of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, optionally substituted by a cyclohexyl radical;
• R'.sub.2 represents a hydrogen atom or a straight or branched alkyl radical of 1 to 6 carbon atoms;
• X.sub.2 and Y.sub.2 each represent a hydrogen atom or form, together with the carbon atom to which they are bonded, a >C.dbd.O group;
• R.sub.3 represents a straight or branched containing alkyl radical of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, optionally substituted by a hydroxyl radical, an alkoxy radical of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, a mercapto radical, an alkylthio radical of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, an alkylsulphinyl radical of 1 to 4 carbon atoms or an alkylsulphonyl radical of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, wherein, when R.sub.3 represents a hydroxyalkyl radical, R.sub.3 can form a lactone with the carboxyl radical at the .alpha. position;
• R'.sub.3 represents a hydrogen atom or a straight or branched alkyl radical of 1 to 6 carbon atoms;
• X represents an oxygen or sulphur atom;
• and
• R represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl radical, optionally substituted by an alkoxy radical of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, an alkylthio radical of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, an alkylsulphinyl radical of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, an alkylsulphonyl radical of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, a phenoxy radical, a phenylthio radical, a phenylsulphinyl radical, a phenylsulphonyl radical, an alkylamino radical of 1 to 4 carbon atoms or a dialkylamino radical in which each alkyl group is of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, or a phenyl radical, optionally substituted by at least one atom or radical, independently selected from the group consisting of a halogen atom, an alkyl radical of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, an alkoxy radical of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, an alkylthio radical of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, and alkanoyl radical of 1 to 4 carbon atoms;
• or
• a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.