This study focuses on the application of the carbon arc-generated molybdenum-and tungsten-based catalyst systems, MoCl 5 -C and WCl 6 -C, to effect ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) of bicyclo[2.2.1]hept-2-ene (norbornene). The results are compared with those previously obtained by the electrochemically generated MoCl 5 -ē-Al-CH 2 Cl 2 and WCl 6 -ē-Al-CH 2 Cl 2 systems. The polymer products are characterized using 1 H and 13 C NMR, gel permeation chromatography, differential scanning calorimetry and thermo gravimetric analysis. According to NMR spectra analyses, the molybdenum-based catalyst system produced polynorbornene with ca 48% cis structure whereas tungsten system produced ca 56% cis structure polynorbornene and in both cases the polynorbornene had a blocky distribution.