**Abstract**

Microwave chemistry involves the application of microwave radiation to chemical reactions and has played an important role in organic synthesis. Functional dyes are those with hi-tech applications and this chapter attempts to provide an overview of the recent developments in microwave-assisted synthesis of functional dyes. Emphasis has been paid to the microwave-assisted synthesis of dye molecules which are useful in hi-tech applications such as optoelectronics (dye-sensitized solar cells), photochromic materials, liquid crystal displays, newer emissive displays (organic-light emitting devices), electronic materials (organic semiconductors), imaging technologies (electrophotography viz., photocopying and laser printing), biomedical applications (fluorescent sensors and anticancer treatment such as photodynamic therapy). In this chapter, the advantages of microwaves as a source of energy for heating synthesis reactions have been demonstrated. The use of microwaves to functional dyes is a paradigm shift in dye chemistry. Until recently most academic laboratories did not practice this technique in the synthesis of such functional dyes but many reports are being appeared in the journals of high repute.

**Keywords:** microwave-assisted organic synthesis, functional dyes, solar cells, fluorescent sensors, organic-light emitting diodes, photochromic materials