Benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P), 7,8-dihydroxy-7,8-dihydro-B[a]P, and 9,10-dihydro-B[a]P are metabolized by hamster embryo cells to derivatives that bind to nuclear macromolecules. The selectivity for different classes of macromolecules varies depending on the compound analyzed. The ratio of DNA specific activity to protein specific activity (pmol bound/mg of macromolecules) is high (1.51) for 7,8-dihydroxy-7,8-dihydro-B[a]P, extremely low (0.03) for 9,10-dihydroxy-9,10-dihydro-B[a]P, and intermediate (0.26) for B[a]P. Histones H3 and H2A are the major targets of 7,8-dihydroxy-7,8-dihydro-B[a]P; a protein(s) with a mobility similar to that of histone H1 is heavily labeled by 9,10-dihydroxy-9,10-dihydro-B[a]P, with minor labeling of other (nonhistone) bands. The labeling pattern seen with B[a]P is a combination of the patterns seen with the two dihydrodiol metabolites studied. Analysis of the ethyl acetate-soluble metabolites suggests that hamster embryo cells produce 9,10-dihydroxy-7,8-oxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-B[a]P from 9,10-dihydroxy-9,10-dihydro-B[a]P and raise the possibility that this vicinal diol epoxide is an intermediate in the binding of 9,10-dihydroxy-9,10-dihydro-B[a]P to nuclear proteins. The differences seen suggest that factors other than the intrinsic chemical reactivity of the epoxide group are extremely important in the interaction of potential ultimate carcinogens with biological systems.