Amalgams of torsion-free nilpotent groups of class three (Q2266122)

If A, B are groups with a common subgroup D (strictly speaking in each of which D is embedded) then a group C is called a (strong) amalgam of A with B over D, if A,B\(\leq C\) and \(D\leq A\cap B\) in C \((D=A\cap B)\). A group D is called a (strong) amalgamation base if for every pair of groups A, B and embeddings of D in A and B, there exists a (strong) amalgam of A with B over D. In the class of all groups strong amalgams always exist (the free product of A and B amalgamating D will do), as they do also in the class of finite groups. G. Higman gave conditions under which there is a strong amalgam of two finite p-groups which is again a finite p-group, and conditions are also known for there to exist an amalgam of two given nilpotent groups (with given common subgroup) of class \(\leq 2\), which is again a group of class \(\leq 2\). In an earlier paper [Publ. Math. 31, 57-70 (1984; Zbl 0543.20023)] the author considered (in particular) the amalgam problem for torsion-free nilpotent groups of class \(\leq 2.\) In the present paper he finds necessary and sufficient conditions for there to exist a (strong) amalgam of two torsion-free nilpotent groups of class \(\leq 3\) which is again torsion-free nilpotent of class \(\leq 3\). He deduces necessary and sufficient conditions for a torsion-free nilpotent group of class \(\leq 3\) to be a (strong) amalgamation base in that class of groups. Finally he determines those groups in that class that are algebraically closed ''in the sense of Abraham Robinson''.