Polyethylene and isotactic polypropylene containing hydroxylated cyclic units were synthesized by copolymerization of ethylene or propylene and cyclodiolefins, dicyclopentadiene (DCPD), 5-vinyl-2-norbomene (VNB), 5-ethylidene-2-norbornene (ENB), with zirconocene catalysts and subsequent hydroboration reaction of residual unsaturated group. The resulting hydroxylated copolymers showed higher glass transition temperature (T-g) than the original and hydrogenated copolymers. Relationship between the cyclodiolefin content and Delta T-g (Delta T-g= difference of T-g between hydroxylated copolymer and hydrogenated copolymer) was given by a straight line independent of the structure of the comonomers. Improvement in shape memory effect was observed in the hydroxylated ethylene-VNB copolymer. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.