The Hopf algebra of diagonal rectangulations. (Q662043)

The Malvenuto-Reutenauer Hopf algebra MR over a field \(k\) is the vector space direct sum of the \(kS_n\), \(S_n\) the symmetric group on \(n\) letters. The product is given by shifted shuffles, and the coproduct by cuts and standardizations; [see, e.g., \textit{C. Malvenuto} and \textit{C. Reutenauer}, J. Algebra 177, No. 3, 967-982 (1995; Zbl 0838.05100)]. Many combinatorial Hopf algebras are sub-Hopf algebras of MR, e.g., the noncommutative symmetric functions NSym and the Loday-Ronco Hopf algebra LR of planar binary trees. The paper under review studies another one, tBax, based on twisted Baxter permutations. The second author has described tBax as a sub-Hopf algebra of MR [\textit{N. Reading}, J. Comb. Theory, Ser. A 110, No. 2, 237-273 (2005; Zbl 1133.20027)]. In the paper under review, the authors give an intrinsic description in terms of objects counted by Baxter numbers \(B(n)\), which count Baxter permutations [see \textit{F. R. K. Chung, R. L. Graham, V. E. Hoggatt jun.} and \textit{M. Kleiman}, J. Comb. Theory, Ser. A 24, 382-394 (1978; Zbl 0398.05003)]. The objects used are called (diagonal) rectangulations (decompositions of a square into rectangles), which were shown by \textit{E. Ackerman, G. Barequet} and \textit{R. Y. Pinter} to be counted by \(B(n)\) [Discrete Appl. Math. 154, No. 12, 1674-1684 (2006; Zbl 1096.05002)]. A twisted Baxter permutation is one which avoids the patterns \(3\)-\(41\)-\(2\) and \(2\)-\(41\)-\(3\) (such a pattern must have the letter corresponding to 4 just in front of the letter corresponding to 1). A Baxter permutation avoids \(3\)-\(14\)-\(2\) and \(2\)-\(41\)-\(3\). The authors define the product of twisted Baxter products somewhat as in MR, but deleting terms which are not twisted Baxter permutations. The main tool of the paper is a surjective map \(p\) from permutations to rectangulations. By looking at fibers of \(p\), they show that \(p\) restricts to a bijection between twisted Baxter permutations and rectangulations dRec. dRec has products and coproducts describable in terms of the combinatorics of dRec. \(p\) is also used to get a (recursive) bijection between Baxter permutations and twisted Baxter permutations, so that \(B(n)\) also counts twisted Baxter permutations, and the Baxter permutations also are the basis of a Hopf algebra.