Final answer:
The reaction is a dehydrogenation where sulfur helps convert 9,10-dihydroanthracene into anthracene by removing hydrogen atoms. It doesn't have a specific name and is commonly performed under heat to encourage the formation of a conjugated system in the anthracene.
Step-by-step explanation:
The reaction converting 9,10-dihydroanthracene into anthracene through the presence of sulfur involves a dehydrogenation process. Though not explicitly mentioned here, such a reaction likely occurs under heating conditions where the sulfur acts as a dehydrogenating agent, removing hydrogen atoms from 9,10-dihydroanthracene to yield anthracene.
This type of reaction doesn't have a specific name like some other organic transformations (e.g., the Diels-Alder reaction), but it falls under the category of dehydrogenation reactions, which are well studied in the field of organic chemistry.
The mechanism for such a transformation generally involves the sulfur abstracting hydrogen from the organic substrate. This can lead to the formation of H2S (hydrogen sulfide) as a byproduct, and the generation of a conjugated system in anthracene through the loss of H2. Often, such transformations require high temperatures and can be promoted by catalysts or agents like sulfur which facilitate the removal of hydrogen.
This transformation is different from other more complex organic reactions or synthesis processes such as the Diels-Alder reaction, which is used to form six-membered cyclic compounds, and nucleophilic substitutions that are prominent in synthesizing certain nucleosides.