Hexamethylenebis [acetamide](HMBA) is an agent in clinical trial that induces differentiation of certain types of tumor cells to nonmalignant phenotypes. In an attempt to discover a more potent compound, a number of bisfunctionalized amides, imides, and hydrazine derivatives of HMBA were prepared and evaluated in vitro with the HL-60 human promyelocytic leukemia cell line. Among the compounds evaluated, the 5, 5-dimethylhydantoin ...