The invention is concerned with the production of 1-hexene and octenes from ethene. 1-Butene is optionally also to be produced. The problem addressed by the present invention is that of developing a process for producing 1-hexene from ethene by MTHxE etherification to achieve better chemical utilization of the employed carbon atoms. This problem is solved by catalytic retrocleavage of MTHxE into the C6 olefins and the alcohol, reuse of the alcohol in the etherification and reaction of the obtained C6 olefins with ethene to afford C8 olefins. In this way the alcohol is not lost from the process but rather is internally recirculated as a derivatizing agent. The less attractive C6 olefins from the cleavage product are upgraded to octene with further ethene in order to provide a further commercial product.