Hydrolysis of methyl chloride to methanol follows $\mathrm{S}_{\mathrm{N}} 2$ reaction. The rates of many $\mathrm{S}_{\mathrm{N}} 2$ reactions are affected by the solvent. Protic solvents - those that contain $-\mathrm{OH}$ or $-\mathrm{NH}$ group are generally the worst solvents for $\mathrm{S}_{\mathrm{N}}$. Polar protic solvents, (like water, alcohols and carboxylic acids), which have strong dipoles but don't have $-\mathrm{OH}$ or $-\mathrm{NH}$ groups are the best. In contrast to protic solvents, which decrease the rates of $\mathrm{S}_{\mathrm{N}} 2$ reactants by lowering the ground state energy of nucleophile, polar aprotic solvents (DMF) increase the rates of $\mathrm{S}_{\mathrm{N}} 2$ reactions by raising the ground state energy of nucleophile.