An active, aldehydic metabolite of the cell-differentiating agent hexamethylene bisacetamide

6-Acetamidohexanal has been identified in human plasma and urine as a metabolite of the cell-differentiating agent, hexamethylene bisacetamide (HMBA). Synthesis of 6-acetamidohexanal was accomplished by oxidation of 6-acetamido-1-hexanol with pyridinium dichromate. A screen of 6-acetamidohexanal for cell-differentiating activity in HL60 human leukemia cells revealed a higher level of activity than HMBA or N-acetyl-1,6-diaminohexane, another active metabolite of HMBA. The results are consistent with a pathway which involves deacetylation of HMBA, oxidative deamination of the resulting N-acetyl-1,6-diaminohexane to yield 6-acetamidohexanal, and further oxidation to give 6-acetamidohexanoic acid.