The syntheses of the meso-1,2-dialkyl-1,2-bis(3'-hydroxyphenyl)ethanes [alkyl substituent: CH3 (19), C2H5 (20), C3H7 (22), C4H9 (23), i-C4H9 (24), and C5H11 (25)] and of d,l-3,4-bis(3'-hydroxyphenyl)hexane (21) are described. In vitro these compounds inhibited the [3H]estradiol receptor interaction competitively, exhibiting Ka values between 0.20 x 10(9) (20) and 0.11 x 10(6) M-1 (24). In vivo the meso compounds reduced the estrone-stimulated mouse uterine growth; the most effective compounds were 20, 22, and 23 (53, 50, and 45% inhibition, respectively). Compounds 20 and 22-24 showed weak estrogenic activity in the mouse uterine weight test and in the vaginal cornification test. Compounds 19 (NSC-297169), 20 (NSC-297170), and 22 (NSC-297171) exhibited a dose-dependent growth inhibition on the MCF-7 human breast tumor cell line (10(-6) to 10(-9) M). These compounds also showed a marked dose-dependent inhibition on the DMBA-induced, hormone-dependent mammary carcinoma of the Sprague-Dawley rat corresponding to their association constants.