A method of preparing glufosinate represented by formula or its salt or enantiomer, or a mixture of its enantiomers in any ratio, comprising: hydrolyzing a compound of formula to generate a compound of formula; wherein: X 1 is halogen; Y is -OR 3 or -N(R 4)(R 5); R 1 and R 2 are each independently selected from hydrogen, a C 1 -C 6 alkyl group, a C 2 -C 6 alkenyl group, a C 2 -C 6 alkynyl group, a C 3 -C 6 cycloalkyl group, a three-membered to six-membered heterocycloalkyl group, a C 6 -C 10 aryl group, or a five-membered to ten-membered heteroaryl group, or R 1 and R 2 form a three-membered to six-membered heterocycloalkyl group together with the N atom to which they are attached, wherein the C 1 -C 6 alkyl group, the C 2 -C 6 alkenyl group, the C 2 -C 6 alkynyl group, the C 3 -C 6 cycloalkyl group, the three-membered to six-membered heterocycloalkyl group, the C 6 -C 10 aryl group, or the five-membered to ten-membered heteroaryl group is optionally substituted by halogen, a carboxyl group, a hydroxyl group, a cyano group, an amino group, a nitro group, a C 1 -C 3 alkyl group, a C 1 -C 3 haloalkyl group, a C 1 -C 3 alkoxy group, a C 3 -C 6 cycloalkyl group, or a C 6 -C 10 aryl group; R 3, R 4, and R 5 are each independently selected from hydrogen, a C 1 -C 6 alkyl group, a C 2 -C 6 alkenyl group, a C 2 -C 6 alkynyl group, a C 3 -C 6 cycloalkyl group, a three-membered to six-membered heterocycloalkyl group, a C 6 -C 10 aryl group, or a five-membered to ten-membered heteroaryl group, or R 4 and R 5 form a three-membered to six-membered heterocycloalkyl group together with the N atom to which they are attached, wherein the C 1 -C 6 alkyl group, the C 2 -C 6 alkenyl group, the C 2 -C 6 alkynyl group, the C 3 -C 6 cycloalkyl group, the three-membered to six-membered heterocycloalkyl group, the C 6 -C 10 aryl group, or the five-membered to ten-membered heteroaryl group is optionally substituted by halogen, a carboxyl group, a hydroxyl group, a cyano group, an amino group, a nitro group, a C 1 -C 3 alkyl group, a C 1 -C 3 haloalkyl group, a C 1 -C 3 alkoxy group, a C 3 -C 6 cycloalkyl group, or a C 6 -C 10 aryl group; and * denotes a chiral carbon atom. X 1 is halogen; Y is -OR 3 or -N(R 4)(R 5); R 1 and R 2 are each independently selected from hydrogen, a C 1 -C 6 alkyl group, a C 2 -C 6 alkenyl group, a C 2 -C 6 alkynyl group, a C 3 -C 6 cycloalkyl group, a three-membered to six-membered heterocycloalkyl group, a C 6 -C 10 aryl group, or a five-membered to ten-membered heteroaryl group, or R 1 and R 2 form a three-membered to six-membered heterocycloalkyl group together with the N atom to which they are attached, wherein the C 1 -C 6 alkyl group, the C 2 -C 6 alkenyl group, the C 2 -C 6 alkynyl group, the C 3 -C 6 cycloalkyl group, the three-membered to six-membered heterocycloalkyl group, the C 6 -C 10 aryl group, or the five-membered to ten-membered heteroaryl group is optionally substituted by halogen, a carboxyl group, a hydroxyl group, a cyano group, an amino group, a nitro group, a C 1 -C 3 alkyl group, a C 1 -C 3 haloalkyl group, a C 1 -C 3 alkoxy group, a C 3 -C 6 cycloalkyl group, or a C 6 -C 10 aryl group; R 3, R 4, and R 5 are each independently selected from hydrogen, a C 1 -C 6 alkyl group, a C 2 -C 6 alkenyl group, a C 2 -C 6 alkynyl group, a C 3 -C 6 cycloalkyl group, a three-membered to six-membered heterocycloalkyl group, a C 6 -C 10 aryl group, or a five-membered to ten-membered heteroaryl group, or R 4 and R 5 form a three-membered to six-membered heterocycloalkyl group together with the N atom to which they are attached, wherein the C 1 -C 6 alkyl group, the C 2 -C 6 alkenyl group, the C 2 -C 6 alkynyl group, the C 3 -C 6 cycloalkyl group, the three-membered to six-membered heterocycloalkyl group, the C 6 -C 10 aryl group, or the five-membered to ten-membered heteroaryl group is optionally substituted by halogen, a carboxyl group, a hydroxyl group, a cyano group, an amino group, a nitro group, a C 1 -C 3 alkyl group, a C 1 -C 3 haloalkyl group, a C 1 -C 3 alkoxy group, a C 3 -C 6 cycloalkyl group, or a C 6 -C 10 aryl group; and * denotes a chiral carbon atom.