Inclusion Criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

- Histologically confirmed diagnosis of 1 of the following hematologic malignancies:

- Acute myeloid leukemia

- Previously untreated patients > 60 years of age who are not eligible for
front-line therapy are eligible for this study

- Acute lymphoblastic leukemia

- Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML)

- Documented hematologic resistance to imatinib mesylate OR no cytogenetic
response after 12 months of prior treatment with imatinib mesylate

- Philadelphia chromosome-negative CML allowed provided disease is resistant
to standard therapy (e.g., hydroxyurea) OR disease progressed (blasts > 5%
and platelet count < 100,000/mm^3) during standard therapy

- Myelodysplastic syndromes

- International Prognostic Scoring System risk category ≥ intermediate-1

- Patients who are not eligible for front-line therapy are eligible for this
study

- Myeloproliferative disease

- Chronic lymphocytic leukemia

- Failed or progressed during ≥ 1 prior fludarabine-based therapy AND
alemtuzmab

- Acute promyelocytic leukemia

- Progressed after prior treatment with standard chemotherapy, tretinoin, and
arsenic trioxide

- Chronic myelomonocytic leukemia

- Resistant to standard therapy (e.g., hydroxyurea) OR disease progressed
(blasts > 5% and platelet count < 100,000/mm^3) during standard therapy

- Relapsed or refractory disease

- No known brain or meningeal disease

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age

- Over 18

Performance status

- ECOG 0-1

Life expectancy

- More than 8 weeks

Hepatic

- Bilirubin < 2 mg/dL

- AST and ALT ≤ 2.5 times upper limit of normal

Renal

- Creatinine < 2 mg/dL

Cardiovascular

- QTc < 500 msec

- LVEF > 40% by MUGA

- No New York Heart Association class III or IV congestive heart failure

- No myocardial infarction within the past year

- No uncontrolled dysrhythmias

- No uncontrolled angina

- No left ventricular hypertrophy by EKG

- No history of serious ventricular arrhythmia (e.g., ventricular tachycardia or
ventricular fibrillation ≥ 3 beats in a row)

- No other significant cardiac disease

Immunologic

- No history of allergic reaction attributed to compounds of similar chemical or
biologic composition to study drugs

- No ongoing or active infection

- No HIV positivity

Other

- Not pregnant or nursing

- Negative pregnancy test

- Fertile patients must use effective contraception

- No psychiatric illness or social situation that would preclude study compliance

- No other uncontrolled illness

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Chemotherapy

- Recovered from prior chemotherapy

- At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks for nitrosoureas or mitomycin)
unless there is evidence of rapidly progressive disease

Radiotherapy

- At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy and recovered

Other

- No concurrent agents that cause QTc prolongation

- No other concurrent investigational or commercial agents or therapies for the
malignancy

- No concurrent hydrochlorothiazide

- Concurrent potassium-conserving combinations (e.g., Maxide® or Dyazide®) or
other antihypertensive agents allowed