(+/-)-exo,endo-5,6-Bis{[11'-[2",5"-bis[2-(3'-fluoro-4'-n-alkoxyphenyl)et hynyl]phenyl]undecyl]oxy]carbonyl}bicyclo[2.2.1]hept-2-ene (n = 1-12) monomers were polymerized by ring-opening metathesis polymerization in tetrahydrofuran at room temperature with Mo(CHCMe2Ph)(N-2,6-(Pr2Ph)-Pr-i)((OBu)-Bu-t)(2) as the initiator to produce polymers with number-average degrees of polymerization of 8-37 and relatively narrow polydispersities (polydispersity index = 1.08-1.31). The thermotropic behavior of these materials was independent of the molecular weight and therefore representative of that of a polymer at approximately 15 repeat units. The polymers exhibited an enantiotropic nematic mesophase when n was 2 or greater. (c) 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.