In Coffea arabica leaves, the purine ring of theobromine (3,7-dimethylxanthine) and caffeine (1,3,7-trimethylxanthine) is provided by de novo purine biosynthesis: (a) [14C]glycine, [14C]bicarbonate, and [14C]formate were incorporated into inosine 5[prime]- monophosphate (IMP), sum of adenine nucleotides ([sigma]Ade), theobromine, and caffeine; and (b) incorporation of [14C]formate into IMP, [sigma]Ade, theobromine, and caffeine was inhibited by azaserine, a known inhibitor of de novo purine biosynthesis. Capacity of coffee leaves to salvage added purines was demonstrated by incorporation of [14C]hypoxanthine into [sigma]Ade and the incorporation of [14C]adenosine, [14C]adenine, [14C]inosine, and [14C]hypoxanthine into both theobromine and caffeine. Consistent with synthesis of theobromine from two separate purine nucleotide pools, one synthesized de novo and one via salvage, added xanthine 5[prime]-monophosphate (XMP), inosine, or hypoxanthine failed to reduce the incorporation of [14C]formate into theobromine but diluted the specific radioactivity of [14C]adenosine and [14C]adenine incorporated into theobromine. Evidence that theobromine is not the immediate precursor of caffeine is provided: (a) [14C]xanthine was incorporated into caffeine but not into theobromine; (b) exogenous xanthine diluted the specific radioactivity of caffeine synthesized from [14C]adenine and [14C]hypoxanthine but caused accumulation of radiolabel in theobromine; (c) allopurinol, a known inhibitor of the conversion of hypoxanthine to xanthine, reduced incorporation of [14C]adenine and [14C]hypoxanthine into caffeine but caused accumulation of radiolabel in theobromine; and (d) incorporation of [14C]formate into caffeine, but not into theobromine, was reduced by added XMP, inosine, or hypoxanthine.