When *o*-bromotoluene is forcefully reacted directly with highly concentrated aqueous at extremely h — Haloalkanes and Haloarenes Chemistry Question

💡 Solution & Explanation

The reaction of this unactivated aryl halide securely requires extreme conditions and specifically proceeds smoothly via the benzyne mechanism. The forced elimination of $HBr$ generates a highly reactive triple bond safely between the $1$ and $2$ carbons. The hydroxide nucleophile subsequently attacks either side of this symmetrical benzyne bond, cleanly yielding a mixture of *o*-cresol and *m*-cresol.