Solution

m-Chlorobenzaldehyde, $m-ClC_6H_4CHO$, has no $\alpha$-hydrogen. With concentrated (50%) alkali it undergoes the Cannizzaro reaction (self oxidation-reduction).
One molecule is oxidised to the carboxylate ion and another is reduced to the alcohol:
$2\,m-ClC_6H_4CHO + KOH \rightarrow m-ClC_6H_4COO^-K^+ + m-ClC_6H_4CH_2OH$
The aryl C–Cl bond is not affected by KOH under these conditions (aryl halides are very unreactive towards nucleophilic substitution), so Cl is not replaced by OH.
So the products are the m-chlorobenzoate ion and m-chlorobenzyl alcohol.

Concept Cannizzaro reaction of aldehyde without alpha hydrogen

Cannizzaro reaction in past papers

3 questions from this chapter have appeared across 3 exam years.