On nonabelian simple groups having the same prime graph as an alternating group. (Q359328)

Let \(G\) be a finite group and let \(\pi(G)\) be the set of all prime divisors of its order. The prime graph \(GK(G)\) of \(G\) is defined as follows: \(\pi(G)\) is the set of vertices of \(GK(G)\) and two distinct vertices \(p,q\in\pi(G)\) are adjacent if and only if there exists an element of order \(pq\) in \(G\). The prime graph was introduced by Gruenberg and Kegel. A. V. Vasil'ev proposed the following problem [in The Kourovka notebook. Unsolved problems in group theory. 16th ed. (2006; Zbl 1084.20001)]. Problem 16.26. Does there exist a positive integer \(k\) such that there are no \(k\) pairwise non-isomorphic non-Abelian finite simple groups with the same prime graphs? Conjecture: \(k=5\). In the paper under review, the author answers positively the above question when one of the pairwise non-isomorphic groups is an alternating group. The conjecture is true in this case. The main result of the paper under review is the following. Theorem. Let \(G\) be an alternating group \(A_n\), (\(n\geq 5\)), and let \(S\) be a finite simple group. Then the prime graphs of \(G\) and \(S\) coincide if and only if one of the following holds: (a) \((G,S)\in\{(A_5,A_6),(A_7,L_2(49)),(A_7,U_4(3)),(A_9,J_2),(A_9,S_6(2)),(A_9,O^+_8(2))\}\); (b) \(S=A_{n-1}\), \(n\) is odd, and the numbers \(n\) and \(n-4\) are composite. As a corollary to this theorem, the author confirms the conjecture \(k=5\) for alternating groups. Corollary. If \(G\) is an alternating group of degree \(n\), \(n\geq 5\), then there exist at most three pairwise non-isomorphic non-Abelian simple groups, non-isomorphic to \(G\), with the prime graph \(GK(G)\).