On finite 2-groups with many involutions. (Q1423782)

\textit{Y. Berkovich} [J. Algebra 248, No. 2, 472-553 (2002; Zbl 0999.20013)] has suggested to study the finite \(2\)-groups \(G\) which contain two distinct maximal subgroups \(M\) and \(N\), such that all elements outside \(M\) and \(N\) have order \(2\). The paper under review gives a satisfactory answer. The groups with this property are characterized by the fact that they contain a maximal subgroup \(H\) which is quasi-dihedral, with a kernel \(A\) which is normal in \(G\), and such that the factor group \(G/A\), which has order \(4\), is non-cyclic. Here a group \(H\) is said to be quasi-dihedral if \(H=\langle x,A\rangle\), where \(A\) (which is called a kernel of \(H\)) is an Abelian, maximal subgroup of \(H\), and \(x\) acts on \(A\) by inverting all of its elements.