Within the microelectronics industry, there is an ongoing trend toward miniaturization coupled with higher performance. The scaling of transitors toward smaller dimensions, higher speeds, and lower power has resulted in an urgent need for low dielectric constant interlevel insulators. Low dielectric constant interlevel dielectrics have already been identified as being critical to the realization of high performance integrated circuits in the SLA Roadmap. Thus, there exists a need in the microelectronics industry for a thermally stable, noncorrosive low dielectric constant polymer with good solvent resistance, high glass transition temperature, good mechanical performance and good adhesive properties, particularly to copper. In addition, the desired dielectric material should be capable of being processed in environmentally friendly solvents, and the final thermal and electrical performance should not be affected by manufacturing or post environmental conditions. High glass transition temperature polynorbornenes are being developed which provide many of these desired features. This polymer family is produced via a new transition metal catalyzed polymerization. Attributes which make polynorbornene particularly attractive in microelectronics include: (i) excellent thermal performance, (ii) adhesion to conductors without the use of adhesion promoters or barrier layers, (iii) very low moisture absorption (< 0.1 wt %), and (iv) low dielectric constant (2.2 – 2.6). Side groups which have been added to the polynorbornene backbone improve adhesion, dielectric properties and mechanical properties.