Multiplication in Grothendieck ring and a ring lifting (Q1095995)

For any finite group G the natural surjective map \(\theta\) : \(G_ 0({\mathbb{Z}}G)\to G_ 0({\mathbb{Q}}G)\) between the Grothendieck groups of f.g. left modules is split. Since the tensor product yields a ring structure on both groups, it is natural to ask whether \(\theta\) is split by a ring homomorphism. The author gives a positive answer for nilpotent groups G, excluding only the case that G contains the quaternion group of order 8 as a factor, but is not just a 2-group. The constructed splittings commute with conjugation, restriction and transfer.