A generalized sandwich theorem (Q1090772)

Let A be a ring with identity and let \(\underset \tilde{} q\) be a (two-sided) ideal in A. Let \(E_ n(A)\) be the subgroup of \(GL_ n(A)\) generated by the elementary matrices and let \(E_ n(A,\underset \tilde{} q)\) be the normal subgroup of \(E_ n(A)\) generated by the \(\underset \tilde{} q\)-elementary matrices. The subgroup \(GL_ n(A,\underset \tilde{} q)\) of \(GL_ n(A)\) is the inverse image of the centre of \(GL_ n'(A/\underset \tilde{} q)\) under the natural map from \(GL_ n(A)\) into \(GL_ n(A/\underset \tilde{} q)\). For each subgroup S of \(GL_ n(A)\) the ideal L(S) is the largest ideal \(\underset \tilde{} q_ 1\) with the property that \(E_ n(A,\underset \tilde{} q_ 1)\leq S\) and J(S) is the smallest ideal \(\underset \tilde{} q_ 2\) with the property that \(S\leq GL_ n'(A,\underset \tilde{} q_ 2).\) When A is commutative and \(n\geq 3\) the authors prove that, if N is a subgroup of \(GL_ n(A)\) normalized by \(E_ n(A,\underset \tilde{} q)\), then J(N)\(\underset \tilde{} q^{40}\subseteq L(N)\). In an earlier paper Bak has proved that J(N)\(\underset \tilde{} q^{24}\subseteq L(N)\), under the additional hypotheses that A satisfies the stable range condition \(SR_ m(A)\) and \(n\geq m.\) In a recent paper [Math. Proc. Camb. Philos. Soc. 99, 425-431 (1986; Zbl 0601.20046)] not referred to by the authors, \textit{L. N. Vaserstein} has proved that, if A is commutative or von Neumann regular and \(n\geq 3\), then \(\underset \tilde{} q^ 3J(N)\underset \tilde{} q^ 3\subseteq L(N)\) where (as above) N is a subgroup of \(GL_ n(A)\) normalized by \(E_ n(A,\underset \tilde{} q)\).