Artemisinin derivatives, method for the preparation thereof and pharmaceutical compositions containing the same

A compound selated from those of formula (I):

• R—O—A (I)
• wherein:
• R represents the radical of formula (II):
• A represents:
• a group of formula (III):
• wherein—R1 represents aryl, substituted aryl, heteraryl or substituted heteroaryl,
• —R2 represents hydrogen or substituted or unsubstituted linear or branched (C1-C6)alkyl,
• or a group of formula (IV):
• wherein—Y represents substituted or unsubstituted linear or branched (C2-C14)alkylene, substituted or unsubstituted linear or branched (C2-C14)alkenylene, substituted or unsubstituted linear or branched (C2-C14)alkynylene, phenylene, substituted phenylene, naphthylene or substituted naphthylene,
• —Z represents oxygen or sulphur, or NR′2 wherein R′2 can have the same meanings as R2,
• —R3 represents a group of formula (III) as defined hereinabove,
• it being understood that:
• “aryl” is understood to mean phenyl, naphthyl, phenanthryl, fluorenyl or anthryl,
• “heteroaryl” is understood to mean any mono- or bi-cyclic aromatic group containing from 5 to 10 atoms and which may contain from 1 to 3 hetero atoms selected from oxygen, nitrogen and sulphur,
• the term “substituted” applied to the terms “aryl”, “heteroaryl”, “phenylene” and “naphthylene” means that those groups are substituted by one or more identical or different radicals selected from linear or branched (C1-C6)alkyl, hydroxy, linear or branched (C1-C6)alkoxy, (C1-C6)alkoxycarbonyl, polyhalo-(C1-C6)alkyl in which the alkyl moiety is linear or branched, aryloxy (unsubstituted or substituted by one or more identical or different groups selected from hydroxy, linear or branched (C1-C6)alkyl, linear or branched (C1-C6)-alkoxy, polyhalo-(C1-C6)alkyl in which the alkyl moiety is linear or branched, and halogen), nitro, amino, linear or branched (C1-C6)alkylamino, di-(C1-C6)alkylamino in which each alkyl moiety is linear or branched, alkylcarbonylamino, cyano and halogen (fluorine, chlorine, bromine or iodine), or two adjacent carbon atoms may be substituted by alkylenedioxy,
• the term “substituted” applied to the terms “alkyl”, “alkylene”, “alkenylene” and “alkynylene” means that those groups are substituted by one or more identical or different radicals selected from hydroxy, linear or branched (C1-C6)alkoxy, polyhaloalkyl, amino and halogen (fluorine, chlorine, bromine or iodine),
• its enantiomers and diastereoisomers, and addition salts thereof with a pharmaceutically acceptable acid or base.