Reaction of diallylamine with crosslinked terpolymer beads of glycidyl metacrylate-methyl methacrylate-ethylene glycol dimethacrylate yields corresponding polymers with diallylamino functions (2.4 mmol g(-1)). Cis-dihydroxylation of the allyl groups with hydrogen peroxide, in presence Of OsO4 catalyst yields polymer supported amino-bis(cis-propane 2,3-diol) functions with 81.71% of conversion yields. The resulting polymer resin having vicinal cis-diol functions is a high capacity (1.77 mmol g(-1)) boron-specific sorbent and useful for extraction of of trace boric acid (105.1 ppm) from aqueous solutions in about 20 min. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.