The invention relates to N-hydroxyamide derivatives of retinoic acid and a preparation method of N-hydroxyamide derivatives of retinoic acid, and application of N-hydroxyamide derivatives of retinoicacid as tumor treatment drugs and biochemical reagents. The N-hydroxyamide derivative of retinoic acid is prepared by using three kinds of retinoic acid isomers as raw materials through a two-step synthesis reaction. This type of compound exhibits significant anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic effects on tumor cells and less toxicity on normal cells, and therefore has potential medicinal or scientific value.