1. N6,02'-dibutyryl cyclic AMP and 02'-monobutyryl cyclic AMP had practically no affinity to Gilman's cyclic-AMP-binding kinase from muscle, while the N6-monobutyryl derivative was bound to the protein to nearly the same degree as cyclic AMP.2. N6-monobutyryl cyclic AMP was the only cyclic nucleotide accumulating inside HeLa cells when cultures were incubated with N6,02'-dibutyryl cyclic AMP. N6-monobutyryl cyclic AMP was also accumulated when cell homogenates acted on N6,02'-dibutyryl cyclic AMP, while cyclic AMP and 02'-monobutyryl cyclic AMP were rapidly degraded.3. The results indicate that N6-monobutyryl cyclic AMP is the true intracellular imitator of cyclic AMP when N6,02'-dibutyryl cylic AMP is added to tissues.