A method to produce dialcohols is provided, the method comprising the steps of: providing a feed stream comprising an alpha-alcohol-diolefin; reacting the feed stream with hydrogen and carbon monoxide in the presence of a catalyst system comprising a cobalt phosphine ligand complex under conditions effective to hydroformylate at least a portion of the diolefin in the feed stream; and recovering the dialcohol from the reacted feed stream. This method is a one-step process to hydroformylate alpha-alcohol-diolefins such as 2,7-octadien-1-ol to produce a significant yield of dialcohols such as 1,9-nonanediol.
