Finite groups without elements of order six (Q668283)

In this paper, the authors describe finite groups $G$ without elements of order 6, but whose order $|G|$ is divisible by 6. In the solvable case, either $G/O(G)$ is cyclic or quaternion and the Sylow 3-subgroups are abelian, or $G/O_{3^\prime}(G)$ is a cyclic 3-subgroup or dihedral. \par In the nonsolvable case, $O^{\{2,3\}^\prime}(G/O_{\{2,3\}^\prime}(G))$ is an automorphism group of a simple group from a small list of possibilities or an extension of an elementary abelian group $E$ by $L_2(2^n)$, where $E$ is a direct sum of natural modules for $L_2(2^n)$. The basic ingredient for the proof is the Gruenberg-Kegel prime graph, which is used to reduce the problem to almost simple groups and then the results of the paper by \textit{L. R. Fletcher} et al. [Q. J. Math., Oxf. II. Ser. 28, 143--154 (1977; Zbl 0363.20018)] can be applied, where the authors classified the finite simple groups with this property.