Action of a Frobenius-like group. (Q2253051)

A finite Frobenius-like group with kernel \(F\) and complement \(H\) is defined to be a semidirect product \(F\rtimes H\) of a nontrivial nilpotent normal subgroup \(F\) and a subgroup \(H\) such that \(FH/[F,F]\) is a Frobenius group with kernel \(F/[F,F]\) and complement \(H\). Extending earlier results on action of Frobenius groups, the authors prove (Theorem A) that if a Frobenius-like group \(FH\) of odd order with kernel \(F\) and complement \(H\) acts on a vector space \(V\) over an algebraically closed field \(k\) of characteristic coprime to \(|FH|\), then \(V|_H\) has a nontrivial \(H\)-regular direct summand. The proof boils down to Theorem B, too technical to be stated here, which extends the classical result on representations of a semidirect product of an extraspecial group \(F\) and a cyclic group \(H\) of automorphisms of \(F\) to the case where \(H\) has cyclic Sylow subgroups, under certain unavoidable additional conditions. -- Corollary C: if a finite soluble group \(G\) admits a Frobenius-like group \(FH\) of automorphisms of odd order coprime to \(|G|\) such that \([G,F]\neq 1\), then \(C_G(H)\neq 1\). Corollary D extends earlier results of the reviewer on nilpotency class, rank, and order of a finite \(p\)-group admitting a Frobenius group of automorphisms to the case of a Frobenius-like group of automorphisms of odd coprime order.