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In the early 1990s it became clear that the A2A adenosine receptor had characteristics that made it distinct from the other A1, A2B and A3 adenosine receptors. Great progress has been made with the discovery of selective A2A receptor antagonists. A variety of synthetic substitutions on the xanthine moiety led the chemists of Kyowa-Hakko to discover that introduction of the styryl group in the 8 position of xanthines was critical in achieving compounds endowed with selective A2A receptor antagonistic properties. One compound, KW 6002, (E)1,3-diethyl-8-(3,4-dimethoxystyryl)-7-methylxanthine, is currently being developed for treatment of Parkinson's disease. A number of non-xanthine heterocycles have also been synthesized starting from the non-selective adenosine antagonist CGS 15943, a triazoloquinazoline. Thus, replacement of the phenyl ring of CGS 15943 with a heterocyclic ring such as pyrazole or imidazole, led to a series of interesting compounds whose prototype, SCH 58261, 7-(2-phenylethyl)-5-amino-2-(2-furyl)-pyrazolo[4,3-e]-1,2,4-triazolo[1,5-c]pyrimidine, has become a reference A2A receptor antagonist. Modification of N7 substituents has progressed to optimize A2A receptor selectivity and pharmacokinetic characteristics. A related class of compounds having a bicyclic instead of the tricyclic ring structure is also of interest. The prototype of these triazintriazolo derivatives, ZM 241385, is a potent A2A receptor antagonist; however, it also shows interactions with A2B receptors. The relevance of the A2A receptors in specific disease states, especially in the central nervous system, makes this class of adenosine receptor blockers of interest for treatment of neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson's disease.