Convex hull realizations of the multiplihedra (Q2378299)

The multiplihedra \(\mathcal J(n)\) were introduced by Iwase and Mimura in order to describe the structure of maps between \(A_\infty\) spaces preserving the \(A_\infty\) structures up to homotopy. They defined \(\mathcal J(n)\) as a subset of \(\mathbb R^n\) and then studied combinatorial facts of them as \(CW\)-complexes. In the paper under review, the author takes another approach, a recursive definition, by using painted trees. The author also gives a simple algorithm for determining the extremal points in \(\mathbb R^n\) whose convex hull is \(\mathcal J(n)\). The idea of this algorithm was given by Loday to realize the \(n\)th associahedron as a subset in \(\mathbb R^{n-1}\). The author uses this realization to unite the approach to \(A_n\)-maps of Iwase and Mimura with that of Boardman and Vogt. A good review of the appearance of multiplihedra in the study of higher homotopy commutativity, \(n\)-categories, \(A_\infty\)-categories, deformation theory and moduli spaces is included.