Unitary units in group algebras (Q5951510)

Let \(K\) be a field of characteristic \(p\) different from 2, which is not algebraic over a finite field, and let \(G\) be a finite group. Denote by \({\mathfrak U}(KG)\) the group of units \(u\) of the group ring \(KG\) so that the inverse of \(u\) is \(u^*\), where * is the \(K\)-linear mapping defined by \(g^*=g^{-1}\) for any \(g\in G\). The relation between the involution * and the group of units is object of an intensive research during the past years. In the present paper the authors show that the group \({\mathfrak U}(KG)\) does not contain a non-Abelian free group if and only if \(G\) contains a normal \(p\)-Sylow subgroup \(P\) and \(G/P\) is either Abelian, dihedral, or contains an elementary Abelian 2-subgroup of index 2. The proof is a long reduction to certain subgroups of \({\mathfrak U}(KG)\), basically defined by subgroups of \(G\). The authors show that certain subgroups \(H\) cannot appear for \(G\) by constructing non-Abelian free subgroups of \({\mathfrak U}(KG)\), and then reduce by group theoretic reasoning the groups \(G\) which do not have such subgroups of the list studied before. The method is in some sense similar to the one used in the authors' previous paper [\textit{J. Z. Gonçalves} and \textit{D. S. Passman}, J. Algebra 246, No. 1, 226-252 (2001; Zbl 1003.16027)].