On centrality of even orthogonal \(\mathrm{K}_2\) (Q502626)

Let \(R\) be a commutative ring. The authors give a uniform proof for centrality of \(K_2(\Phi,R)\) in the Steinberg group \(\text{St}(\Phi,R)\), for all simply laced irreducible root systems \(\Phi\) of rank at least three. The most difficult case is the root system \(A_3\). Their strategy is to prove a `Quillen's local global principle for \(K_2\)' as was obtained for high rank \(\Phi\) of type A by \textit{M. S. Tulenbaev} [Math. USSR, Sb. 45, 139--154 (1983; Zbl 0509.18016)]. To get through they need to play several presentations of (relative) Steinberg groups against each other. Recall that centrality in symplectic Steinberg groups has been treated in [\textit{A. Lavrenov}, J. Pure Appl. Algebra 219, No. 9, 3755--3780 (2015; Zbl 1319.19001)].