A method is described for the preparation of 1-octene starting from butadiene, wherein in a first step (a) the bis-hydrodimerization of butadiene to 1,7-octadiene is effected in the presence of a catalyst based on palladium containing one or more tri-substituted monodentate phosphines, in an aprotic polar solvent, in a second step (b) the partial catalytic hydrogenation of 1,7-octadiene to 1-octene is effected in the presence of a titanium compound activated with one or more metal alkyls of group 13 (selected from boron, aluminum, gallium, indium).