5-Norbomene-2-carboxaldehyde and norbornadiene were respectively converted into norbornene derivatives functionalized with fluoroformamidinium hexafluorophosphate and 2-bromo-N-methylpyridinium tetrafluoroborate residues. Both these norbomene monomers were ring opening metathesis polymerized or graft copolymerized onto polystyrene cores to produce ROMPgel and ROMPsphere peptide-coupling reagents. These were used to prepare hindered amides, dipeptides and tripeptides with minimal purification in parallel arrays. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.