A process for the preparation of a variety of high purity norbornene alkanol monomers and their derivatives is disclosed and claimed. Specifically, a process for the preparation of industrial scale high purity norbornene methanol and its silyl ether derivative is disclosed and claimed. The high purity monomers prepared in accordance with the process of this invention are useful in a variety of applications including but not limited to the preparation of high quality and high purity polynorbornenes having utility in a variety of electronic applications, among various other applications.