Phthalimide analogs N-substituted with n-butyl, tert-butyl, hexyl and adamantyl groups were designed and prepared as simplified analogs of thalidomide and methylthalidomide. All the compounds prepared except N-n-butylphthalimide showed thalidomidal activity on 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate-induced tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha production by human leukemia HL-60 cells. Among the investigated compounds, including thalidomide and methylthalidomide, N-adamantylphthalimide showed the most potent TNF-alpha production-enhancing activity.