Doing Business in Carmel Information and insight for your Carmel-by-the-Sea business needs. MORE>>>
Figure 1. The molecular structure of caffeine. Caffeine belongs to the family of heterocyclic compounds known as purines. It has the systematic name 3,7-dihydro-1,3,7-trimethyl-1H-purine-2,6-dione; it is also known as 1,3,7-trimethylxanthine, and 1,3,7-trimethyl-2,6-dioxopurine.
Caffeine is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant of the methylxanthine class of psychoactive drugs. It is the world's most widely consumed psychoactive drug, but unlike many other psychoactive substances, it is legal and unregulated in nearly all parts of the world.