Some amide derivatives are highly valuable products with antiproliferative and cytotoxic bioactivity. In this paper, 12 novel amide compounds were synthesized correspondingly by boc‐protection glycine, deprotection, and condensation reactions. The antiproliferative and cytotoxic activity of these compounds was also evaluated by human cervical cancer (Hela) and hepatoma carcinoma (SK‐Hep‐1) cancer cell lines. The assay revealed that eight compounds (5a–d, 6a–d) exhibited activity against Hela cancer cells. Four of them (5a–d) also showed activity against SK‐Hep‐1 cancer cells. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 24:9–17, 2013; View this article online at http://wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/hc.21057