The present disclosure provides benzamide and nicotinamide compounds and pharmaceutical uses of the compounds. The compounds can be used to treat, for example, cancers such hematopoietic cancers (e.g., leukemia). The preferred compounds of the invention contain a phenylethynyl moiety as well as an amine-based heterocyclyl or heteroaryl moiety attached to the benzamide or nicotinamide compound.
