Congruence subgroups in group rings^* (Q4489709)

Arithmetic groups are finitely generated by the Borel-Harish Chandra Theorem. Thus it is natural to look for explicit generators in arithmetic groups, in particular, in the group of units \({\mathcal U}(\mathbb{Z} G)\) of the integral group ring \(\mathbb{Z} G\) of a finite group \(G\). Because of serious difficulties it is quite satisfactory to find generators of large subgroups, i.e. subgroups of finite index in \({\mathcal U}(\mathbb{Z} G)\). Many deep results have been obtained for integral group rings [see \textit{S. K. Sehgal}, Units in integral group rings, Longman, New York (1993; Zbl 0803.16022)] and the most natural generators which usually are considered are the so-called Bass cyclic units and the bicyclic units. In an earlier work [Manuscr. Math. 78, No. 3, 303-315 (1993; Zbl 0802.16025)] the authors constructed such generators in the case of groups \(G\) whose rational group algebras \(\mathbb{Q} G\) do not have simple components of some exceptional type. In the article under review the authors obtain more precise information about the subgroup \(B\) of \({\mathcal U}(\mathbb{Z} G)\), generated by the bicyclic units, imposing on \(G\) some additional, but natural, restrictions. Namely, they prove existence of some congruence subgroups in \(B\). The result holds for a large class of groups \(G\) which includes the nilpotent groups of odd order and the symmetric groups. For groups \(G\) from this class the above is applied to give an upper bound for the index of the subgroup of \({\mathcal U}(\mathbb{Z} G)\) generated by the Bass cyclic units and the bicyclic units. For the considered class of groups this gives an answer to a problem by S. K. Sehgal.