Farnesyl transferase inhibitors, their preparation and the pharmaceutical compositions which contain them

A compound of the formula (I):

• ##STR12## R.sub.1 represents a radical of the formula Y--S--A.sub.1 -- in which Y represents a hydrogen atom, an amino acid residue, a fatty acid residue, an alkyl radical, an alkoxycarbonyl radical, or an R.sub.4 --S-- radical in which R.sub.4 represents an alkyl radical comprising 1 to 4 carbon atoms, unsubstituted or substituted by a phenyl radical, or a radical of the formula (II):
• ##STR13## wherein:
• A.sub.1 represents a straight or branched alkylene radical comprising 1 to 4 carbon atoms, unsubstituted or substituted at the position a to the >C(X.sub.1)(Y.sub.1) group by an amino radical, an alkylamino radical comprising 1 to 6 straight- or branched-chain Carbon atoms, a dialkylamino radical in which each alkyl portions comprises 1 to 6 straight- or branched-chain carbon atoms, an alkanoylamino radical comprising 1 to 6 straight- or branched-chain carbon atoms, or an alkoxycarbonylamino radical in which the alkyl portions comprises 1 to 6 straight- or branched-chain 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.1 represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl radical;
• R.sub.2 represents a straight or branched alkyl, alkenyl or alkynyl radical comprising 1 to 6 carbon atoms, unsubstituted or substituted by a hydroxyl radical, an alkoxy radical comprising 1 to 4 carbon atoms, a mercapto radical, an alkylthio radical comprising 1 to 4 carbon atoms, an alkylsulphinyl radical comprising 1 to 4 carbon atoms, or an alkylsulphonyl radical comprising 1 to 4 carbon atoms, wherein when R.sub.2 represents an alkyl radical substituted by a hydroxyl radical, R.sub.2 can form a lactone with the carboxyl radical at the .alpha. position;
• R'.sub.2 represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl radical;
• and
• R represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl radical comprising 1 to 6 carbon atoms, unsubstituted or substituted by an alkoxy radical comprising 1 to 4 carbon atoms, an alkylthio radical comprising 1 to 4 carbon atoms, an alkylsulphinyl radical comprising 1 to 4 carbon atoms, an alkylsulphonyl radical comprising 1 to 4 carbon atoms, a phenyl radical, a phenoxy radical, a phenylthio radical, a phenylsulphinyl radical, a phenylsulphonyl radical, an alkylamino radical comprising 1 to 4 carbon atoms, a dialkylamino radical in which each alkyl portion comprises 1 to 4 carbon atoms, or a phenyl radical, unsubstituted or substituted by at least one substituent selected from the group consisting of a halogen atom, an alkyl radical, an alkyloxy radical, an alkylthio radical, and an alkanoyl radical;
• wherein the radical ##STR14## is in the 5- or 6-position of the naphthyl ring.