Groups which are not properly 3-realizable (Q427930)

A finitely presented group \(G\) is properly \(3\)-realizable (P3R) if there exists a compact \(2\)-dimensional polyhedron \(X\) with fundamental group \(G\) such that the universal cover of \(X\) is proper homotopy equivalent to a \(3\)-manifold. The authors show that any such group has a pro-(finitely generated free) fundamental group and semi-stable ends. Conjecturally, these two properties are sufficient for a group to be P3R. They use these facts to show that two classes of groups are not P3R. The first consists of fundamental groups of nonpositively curved complexes which are homology \(n\)-manifolds but not topological manifolds, where \(n\geq 3\). The second class consists of right-angled Coxeter groups whose flag complexes are closed combinatorial \(n\)-manifolds with non-free fundamental groups.