The two-prime hypothesis: groups whose nonabelian composition factors are not isomorphic to \(\mathrm{PSL}_2(q)\) (Q2407830)

Let \(G\) be a finite group and let \(\mathrm{cd}(G)\) be the set of the degrees of the complex irreducible characters of \(G\). The group \(G\) is said to satisfy the two-prime hypothesis if whenever \(a, b\in \mathrm{cd} (G)\) with \(a\neq b\), then \(\mathrm{gcd}(a,b)\) is divisible by at most two primes counting multiplicity. Solvable groups satisfying the two-prime hypothesis were already dealt with by \textit{J. Hamblin} [Algebr. Represent. Theory 10, No. 1, 1--24 (2007; Zbl 1120.20008); with the first author, ibid. 15, No. 6, 1099--1130 (2012; Zbl 1267.20012)], who provided an upper bound for the number of character degrees for such groups. The study of nonsolvable groups satisfying the two-prime hypothesis was started by the first two authors [Monatsh. Math. 181, No. 4, 855--867 (2016; Zbl 1397.20015)]. They determined that any nonabelian chief factor of such group either belongs to a finite list of ``small'' simple groups, or is isomorphic to \(\mathrm{PSL}_2(q)\) for \(q\geq 7\), or is isomorphic to A\(_5 \times \) A\(_5\) (the only case in which the nonabelian chief factor may be not simple). In the paper under review, the authors go further by proving that \(|\mathrm{cd}(G)|\leq 21\) when \(G\) is a nonsolvable group that satisfies the two-prime hypothesis and does not have any composition factor ismorphic to \(\mathrm{PSL}_2(q)\) for any prime power \(q\). The bulk of the paper lies in the case in which \(G\) has a composition factor isomorphic to A\(_7\). The other nonabelian simple groups that can occur as composition factors that are not ismorphic to \(\mathrm{PSL}_2(q)\) are handled in a more easy and uniform manner and requires the use of the Atlas and GAP. The authors assure that the case in which \(G\) possesses a chief factor isomorphic to \(\mathrm{PSL}_2(q)\) for \(q=4\) (or \(5\)) and for \(q\geq 7\) will be the subject of two later papers.