17-N-Allylamino-17-Demethoxygeldanamycin With or Without Rituximab in Treating Patients With Relapsed B-Cell Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia or Prolymphocytic Leukemia

Inclusion Criteria: * Histologically confirmed B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia or prolymphocytic leukemia requiring treatment, defined by 1 of the following criteria: * Massive or progressive splenomegaly and/or lymphadenopathy * Anemia (hemoglobin \< 11 g/dL) OR thrombocytopenia (platelet count \< 100,000/mm\^3) * Weight loss \> 10% within the past 6 months * Grade 2 or 3 fatigue * Fevers \> 100.5°F or night sweats for \> 2 weeks with no evidence of infection * Progressive lymphocytosis with an increase of \> 50% over a 2 month period OR an anticipated doubling time of \< 6 months * Relapsed disease * Failed prior fludarabine or pentostatin therapy OR cannot receive fludarabine * Lymphocyte count ≥ 5,000/mm\^3 * Performance status - ECOG 0-2 * Performance status - Karnofsky 60-100% * More than 12 weeks * Bilirubin \< 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) * AST and ALT ≤ 2.5 times ULN * Creatinine ≤ 2.0 mg/dL * LVEF \> 40% by MUGA * QTc \< 450 msec for male patients and \< 470 msec for female patients * Resting ejection fraction ≥ 50% by MUGA or echocardiogram * No symptomatic congestive heart failure * No unstable angina pectoris * No cardiac arrhythmia * No significant cardiac disease including any of the following: * New York Heart Association class III or IV heart failure * History of myocardial infarction within the past year * History of uncontrolled dysrhythmias * Active ischemic heart disease within the past year * Poorly controlled angina * No history of serious ventricular arrhythmia (e.g., ventricular fibrillation, history of symptomatic or sustained ventricular tachycardia, nonsustained ventricular tachycardia \> 3 beats within the past 6 months) * No history of cardiac toxicity due to anthracyclines (e.g., doxorubicin hydrochloride, daunorubicin hydrochloride, or mitoxantrone hydrochloride) * No other cardiac symptoms ≥ grade 2 * DLCO (i.e., oxygen diffusion capacity) ≥ 80% by pulmonary function testing * Resting and exercise oxygen saturation ≥ 90% by pulse oximetry * No pulmonary symptoms ≥ grade 2 * No history of pulmonary toxicity due to bleomycin or carmustine * No significant, symptomatic pulmonary disease requiring oxygen or medications * No ongoing pulmonary symptoms ≥ grade 2 including any of the following: * Dyspnea on or off exertion * Paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea * Significant pulmonary disease (e.g., chronic obstructive or restrictive pulmonary disease) * No Medicare requirements for home oxygen (e.g., resting O\_2 saturations ≥ 90% or desaturation to ≥ 90% with exertion) * Not pregnant or nursing * Negative pregnancy test * Fertile patients must use effective contraception * HIV negative * No history of allergic reaction attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biologic composition to 17-N-allylamino-17-demethoxygeldanamycin * No history of serious allergic reaction to eggs * No ongoing or active infection * No psychiatric illness or social situation that would preclude study compliance * No other uncontrolled illness that would preclude study participation * More than 3 months since prior rituximab and recovered * More than 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks for nitrosoureas or mitomycin) and recovered * More than 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy and recovered * No prior radiotherapy that potentially included the heart in the field (e.g., mantle) * No history of chest radiation * No concurrent medications that prolong or may prolong QTc * No concurrent antiarrhythmic drugs * No other concurrent investigational agents * No other concurrent anticancer therapy