A direct and efficient route to the synthesis of hydroxyl functional polyethylene was identified by copolymerization of ethylene with bicyclo[2.2.1]hept-5-ene-2-methanol prereacted with trimethylaluminium using the catalyst system metallocene/MAO. Copolymerization studies were conducted using three metallocenes, namely, Cp2ZrCl2, Et(ind)(2)ZrCl2 and Me2SiCp2ZrCl2 the last one of which gave a copolymer containing as much as 6.2 mol-% of alcohol. The effect of the Al/Zr ratio as well as of temperature was studied. The copolymers were characterized by means of H-1 NMR, differential scanning calorimetry, and intrinsic viscosity measurements.