How to explain the products of the nucleophilic aromatic substitution of 1-chloro-3-methylbenzene with NaOH?
What is going on here is a benzyne process. Under the conditions of intense heat the hydroxide removes one of the protons either side of the Cl. Cl- then leaves to create a triple bond, giving a benzyne. As you might imagine this is a highly reactive species and reacts with the OH- with no regioselectivity; either end can get hydroxylated and you have two possible benzyne intermediates. Thus you get the mixture of products.