Functionalized xanthine derivatives bearing a nitroxide moiety at the 3- or 8-position were synthesized as electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) probes. The 8-cyclopentyl-1-propylxanthine derivative 4, spin-labeled at N3 by substitution with a nitroxide-bearing dihydropyrrole moiety, was a potent and selective A(1) adenosine receptor antagonist (K(i) for A(1) 5.5 nM, 1600-fold selectivity vs A(2A), >200-fold vs A(2B), and 310-fold vs A(3) adenosine receptors). 8-(1-Oxyl-2,2,5,5-tetramethyl-2,5-dihydro-1H-pyrrol-3-yl)-1,3-dipropylxanthine 10 (K(i) for A(1) 8.2 nM) was similarly potent and selective, while 8-(1-oxyl-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidin-4-yl)-1,3-dipropylxanthine 11 (K(i) for A(1) 160 nM) exhibited significantly lower affinity for A(1) adenosine receptors. 8-[4-(((1-Oxyl-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidin-4-yl)amino)-2-oxoethoxy)phenyl]-1-propylxanthine14, a 3-unsubstituted xanthine derivative, was found to be a potent A(2B) adenosine receptor antagonist (K(i) for A(2B) 48 nM) but also exhibited high affinity for A(1) receptors (K(i) for A(1) 15.7 nM). An X-ray structure of compound 10 was obtained, confirming the proposed structure. The novel spin-labeled A(1)-selective or A(1)/A(2B)-nonselective adenosine receptor antagonists may become useful probes for biophysicochemical investigations of adenosine receptors in their membrane environment.