No label defined (Q3986544)

The ``almost smooth algebras'' (which generalize the formally smooth algebras of Grothendieck) are introduced. An \(A\)-algebra \(B\) is almost smooth if for every singular \(A\)-extension of \(B\) by a \(B\)-module \(M\) the second fundamental exact sequence of \(B\)-modules \[ 0\to M\to\Omega_{E\setminus A} \otimes_ E B\to\Omega_{B\setminus A}\to 0 \] is short exact. Several characterizations of almost smooth algebras are given. It is proved that an \(A\)-algebra \(B\) is almost smooth iff for any \(A\)-algebra \(C\), any ideal \(I\) of \(C\) satisfying \(I^ 2=0\), and any \(A\)-algebra homomorphism \(g:B\to C/I\) such that \(I\) is an injective \(B\)- module via \(g\), there exists a lifting \(f:B\to C\) of \(g\). In the end of the paper an example of an almost smooth algebra which is not formally smooth is given.