A process for making a selectively branched alcohol composition contacting
a lower olefin feed comprising linear olefins having at least 3 carbon
atoms and a concentration of phosphorous-containing compounds with a
sorbent comprising a metal or metal oxide on a support, thereby
substantially reducing the concentration of phosphorous-containing
compounds and producing a purified lower olefin feed. The purified lower
olefin feed is skeletally isomerized and then treated to selectively
hydrogenate dienes before hydroformylation to produce selectively
branched alcohols.