Twelve hesperetin derivatives were designed and synthesized. Their antitumor abilities were measured using a long-term survival clonogenic assay. The GI50 of hesperetin-7-butyrate (K-5b) was three times better than hesperetin. K-5b triggered apoptosis more efficiently than hesperetin. K-5b promoted caspase-mediated apoptosis more as compared to hesperetin.