Free \(\sigma\)-products and noncommutatively slender groups (Q1188136)

Following an idea of \textit{G. Higman} [J. Lond. Math. Soc. 27, 73--81 (1952; Zbl 0046.02601)] the author introduces two types of generalized free products of groups \(G_i\) \((i\in I)\) depending on the cardinality of non-trivial components of words constituting the free product. In case words are countable, then the generalized free product \(*^ \sigma_{i\in I}G_i\) is called \(\sigma\)-free product; for a precise definition see the paper. The author then gives a very detailed and interesting analysis of these free products and exhibits its relationship with cartesian products of abelian groups. From this point of view he is able to prove a kind of Łoš-theorem concerning non-abelian slenderness and extends Chase's Lemma to \(\sigma\)-free products. While Chase's Lemma states that images of homomorphisms from \(\prod G_i\) into \(\oplus H_j\) are almost contained in a direct sum of finitely many \(H_j\)'s, the non-commutative version gives a similar result with \(*^ \sigma_{i\in I}G_i\) in place of \(\prod G_i\) and \(*_{j\in X}H_j\) in place of \(\oplus H_j\). In the second part of the paper the author investigates abelianizations of generalized free products and uses the new results for applications in algebraic topology. He can show that certain homotopy groups \(\pi_i\) are generalized free products which are derived purely algebraically in part 1 of this paper.