Connected sums of 4-manifolds (Q1763593)

Let \(M\) denote a closed connected oriented 4-manifold and \(\Lambda = \mathbb Z[\pi_1(M)]\) the integral group ring of the fundamental group. Suppose \(G \subset H_2(M;\Lambda)\) is a free submodule. The authors study the problem of when there exist closed connected manifolds \(P,M'\) such that \(M\) is homotopy equivalent to the connected sum \(P \# M',\) where \(M'\) is simply connected and \(H_2(M') \otimes \Lambda \simeq G.\) They give results when the fundamental group is infinite and the splitting has a Poincaré 4-complex \(P\) and manifold \(M'.\) The major tool used is the paper of \textit{J. Hambleton} and \textit{M. Kreck} [Math. Ann 280, 85--104 (1988; Zbl 0616.57009)].