Commutators in groups of piecewise projective homeomorphisms (Q1639635)

A discrete group \(G\) is said to be amenable, according to the definition of \textit{J. von Neumann} [Fundam. Math. 13, 73--116 (1929; JFM 55.0151.01)] if it has a finitely additive, left-invariant measure such that the measure of \(G\) is \(1\). \textit{A. Tarski} [C. R. Soc. Sci. Varsovie, Cl. III 22, 114--117 (1929; JFM 57.1389.03); Fundam. Math. 31, 47--66 (1938; Zbl 0019.05403)] proved that these are exactly the groups for which no paradoxical decompositions à la \textit{S. Banach} and \textit{A. Tarski} [Fund. Math. 6, 244--277 (1924; JFM 50.0370.02)] exist. A discrete group containing a non-abelian free group is known not to be amenable. Von Neumann asked whether the converse is true. This was settled in the negative by \textit{A. Yu. Ol'shanskij} with his construction of the Tarski monster groups [Math. USSR, Izv. 16, 279--289 (1981; Zbl 0475.20025); translation from Izv. Akad. Nauk SSSR, Ser. Mat. 44, 309--321 (1980)]. Several other examples, including finitely presented ones, followed. \textit{N. Monod} [Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 110, No. 12, 4524--4527 (2013; Zbl 1305.57002)] produced examples of groups of piecewise projective homeomorphisms of the reals which are not amenable, and do not contain non-abelian free subgroups. \textit{Y. Lodha} and \textit{J. T. Moore} [Groups Geom. Dyn. 10, No. 1, 177--200 (2016; Zbl 1336.43001)] showed that certain subgroups \(G_{0}\) and \(G\) of one of the groups of Monod [loc. cit.] are finitely-presented examples. The main goal of the paper under review is to exhibit the following interesting properties of these groups. It is shown that the derived subgroup \(G_{0}'\) of \(G_{0}\) is simple, that every proper quotient of \(G_{0}\) is abelian, and that the subgroups of \(G_{0}\) of finite index are normal in \(G_{0}\). As to \(G\), one has that \(G'' < G'\) is simple and equals \(G_{0}'\), and that every proper quotient of \(G\) is metabelian.