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.