TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: The oxidant comprises a first oxidant and an optional co-oxidant, where the first oxidant is a salt of a metal, and the optional co-oxidant is a quinone (optionally substituted), a peroxide or a metal oxide. The first catalyst is a salt or a complex of the first metal, where the first metal is palladium or platinum. The second catalyst is a hydride of a second metal, where the second metal is ruthenium, rhodium, iron or iridium.R1-R3 = hydrocarbyl, heteroatom-containing hydrocarbyl (both optionally substituted), H or functional groups.Provided that: at least one of R1-R3 is a non-hydrogen substituent; and if R3 is not hydrogen, then both R1 and R2 are non-hydrogen.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Method: In the method (I), the step (b) comprises: catalytically oxidizing an olefin reactant to form a ketone intermediate of formula (CH(R1)(R2)-C(=O)-R3) (III); and catalytically reducing (III) to form an alcohol of formula (CH(R1)(R2)-C(OH)-R3) (IV), where (III) is not purified or otherwise isolated prior to the catalytically reducing. In the method (II), steps (a1)-(d1) are performed in one reaction vessel. The catalyst is capable of catalyzing an oxidation reaction. Preferred Composition: The composition comprises: at least one organic alcohol and optionally water; and an olefinic reactant. The composition is formed by combining the components of a kit with the olefinic reactant, where the kit comprises a first container comprising the first catalyst and the oxidant, and a second container comprising the second catalyst and the reducing agent. Preferred Components: The reductant is a first alcohol. The olefin reactant is an asymmetric olefin, and comprises a terminal olefin. The reaction mixture comprises: water; and a second alcohol different from the first alcohol. The addition product is a hydration product which comprises: a primary alcohol and a secondary alcohol, where the ratio of the primary to secondary alcohols is greater than or equal to (2:1); and greater than or equal to 50% of the anti-Markovnikov hydration product. The oxidation product comprises an anti-Markovnikov oxidation product and a Markovnikov oxidation product in a ratio of greater than or equal to (2:1). The sterically bulky alcohol is a tertiary alcohol. EXAMPLE - 1-Octene (31.4 mu l), bis(acetonitrile)palladium(II) chloride (0.0052 g), Shvo's catalyst ((1-hydroxytetraphenylcyclopentadienyl-(tetraphenyl-2,4-cyclopentadien-1-one)- mu -hydrotetracarbonyl diruthenium(II)) (0.0218 g), tert-butyl-1,4-benzoquinone (0.0503 g), cupric chloride (0.0027 g), 1 mu l tert-butanol/water mixture (2:1) were stirred together for 12 hours at 35 degrees C. 1 mu l of the tert-butanol/water mixture (2:1) was added every 30 minutes up to 4 hours. 2,4-dimethylpentanol (142.5 mu l) was added to the mixture and the mixture stirred at 85 degrees C for 16 hours to obtain 1-otanol. A 34% gas chromatographic yield of 1-octanol was obtained at a selectivity of 20:1 anti-Markonikov:Markonikov (95%).