In this study, three groups of adamantylphthalimides, bearing different substituents at the phthalimide moiety, N-(4′-R 2 )phthalimidoadamantanes (1-7), 3-[N-(4′-R 2 ) phthalimido]-1-adamantanols (8-10), and 3-[N-(4′-R 2 )phthalimido]adamantane-1carboxylic acids (11-15), were synthesized and screened against tumor cells and viruses. The most potent compounds are not substituted at the adamantane and bear an OH or NH 2 substituent at the phthalimide (compounds 3 and 5). The antiproliferative activities of compounds 3 and 5 are in the micromolar range, much higher than the one of thalidomide. A minor antiviral activity against cytomegalovirus and varicella-zoster virus was found for compounds 3 and 5, but these compounds lacked selectivity. The results presented are important for the rational design of the next-generation compounds with anticancer and antiviral activities. K E Y W O R D S adamantane, antiproliferative activity, antiviral activity, phthalimide