Abstract: A process for producing 1,3-butadiene which comprises feeding a fraction comprising C.sub.4 -paraffins and C.sub.4 -olefins as the main components and being free from isobutene, 1,3-butadiene and C.sub.4 -acetylenes to a dehydrogenation or oxidative dehydrogenation step (step A), where the n-butenes contained therein is converted to 1,3-butadiene; feeding the 1,3-butadiene-containing hydrocarbon fraction thus obtained (fraction C) to an extractive distillation column (column B), in which said fraction C is distilled in an atmosphere of a selective solvent while obtaining a fraction comprising C.sub.