Weak amenability of Fourier algebras and local synthesis of the anti-diagonal (Q5965064)

Let \(G\) be a locally compact group. In [Math. Z. 250, No. 4, 731-744 (2005; Zbl 1080.22002)], \textit{B. E. Forrest} and \textit{V. Runde} proved that if the connected component \(G_e\) of the identity of \(G\) is abelian, then the Fourier algebra \(A(G)\) of \(G\) is weakly amenable. It is an open question whether the weak amenability of \(A(G)\) implies that \(G_e\) must be abelian. Partial results in answering this question have been obtained by several authors. In this paper, the authors prove that for a Lie group \(G\), \(A(G)\) is weakly amenable if and only if \(G_e\) is abelian. The main idea of the proof is to show that, for a connected Lie group \(G\), the weak amenability of \(A(G)\) implies that the anti-diagonal, \(\Delta_G = \{ (g, g^{-1}): g\in G \}\), is a set of local synthesis for \(A(G\times G)\). Then it is proved that this can not happen if \(G\) is non-abelian.