A method for producing a target compound includes distributing a feed mixture at a temperature in a first temperature range to a plurality of parallel reaction tubes of a shell-and-tube reactor, and subjecting the feed mixture in first tube sections of the reaction tubes to heating to a temperature in a second temperature range and in second tube sections of the reaction tubes arranged downstream of the first tube sections to oxidative catalytic conversion using one or more catalysts. A gas mixture flowing out of the second tube sections is brought into contact in third tube sections arranged downstream of the second tube sections with a catalyst which has a volumetric activity below the highest volumetric activity of the one or the plurality of catalysts arranged in the second tube sections. A gas mixture from the third tube sections is withdrawn from the shell-and-tube reactor without further catalytic conversion.