Fuchs' problem for 2-groups (Q2178502)

A famous still unsettled question of \textit{L. Fuchs} [Abelian groups. Oxford-London-New York-Paris: Pergamon Press (1960; Zbl 0100.02803)] asked to determine which groups can be realized as the group of units of a commutative ring. A common generalization is the more general question as to which finite groups can be realized as the group of units of a finite ring. This very interesting paper mainly deals with the latter problem. Specifically, it is considered the question of which $2$-groups are realizable as unit groups of finite rings, a necessary step toward determining which nilpotent groups are realizable. It is proved that all $2$-groups of exponent $4$ are realizable in characteristic $2$ (Theorem 1.1). Moreover, while some groups of exponent greater than $4$ are realizable as unit groups of rings, it is established general constraints on the exponent of a realizable $2$-group. These constraints are also used to describe constructions of $2$-groups that cannot be the group of units of a finite ring. Likewise, the other main result (Theorem 1.2) calculates the exponent of a $2$-group of order $2^n$ that is realizable in characteristic $2^m$ for some two natural numbers $m$ and $n$. The paper ends with some intriguing examples and left-open problems.