In the course of developing novel antitumor intercalating agents. We synthesized 4-carbamoyloxymethyl-l-azaanthraquinones 7-12, incorporating the latent alkylating functi onality. These compounds were designed to explore the effect of substituent on the nitrogen of carbamate. The target compounds were prepared by hetero Diels-Alder reaction as a key step followed by functionalization of benzylic methyl to the desired substituents. Growth inhibitory studies of the azaanthraquinones were conducted in vitro against human cancer cell lines (SNU-354; liver and MCF7; breast) and human epidermoid carcinoma cells that are sensitive (KB-3-1) and multidrug-resistant (KB-V-1). The compounds were less potent than doxorubicin against sensitive cell lines. However, the most active compound 12 was not cross-resistant with doxorubicin against KB-V-1.