Isomorphisms of a complete linear group over an associative ring (Q790258)

Let R be an associative ring with unit and let \(GL_ n(R)\) denote the group of invertible \(n\times n\) matrices over R. Denote the center of \(GL_ n(R)\) by \(Z(GL_ n(R))\). Write \(GE_ n(R)\) for the subgroup of \(GL_ n(R)\) generated by diagonal and elementary matrices. In this paper the authors prove the following Theorem: Let R and S be associative rings with unit in which 2 is invertible. Suppose \(f:GL_ n(R)\to GL_ m(S)\) is a group isomorphism, where n,\(m\geq 3\). Then there exist central idempotents e and f of the matrix rings \(M_ n(R)\) and \(M_ m(S)\) respectively together with a ring isomorphism \(g:eM_ n(R)\to fM_ m(S),\) a ring anti-isomorphism \(h:(1-e)M_ n(R)\to(1-f)M_ m(S)\) and a group homomorphism \(j:GE_ n(R)\to Z(GL_ m(S))\) such that \(f=j(A)(g(eA)+h((1-e)A^{-1}))\) for all \(A\in GE_ n(R).\) This result is particularly interesting applied to rings R for which \(GL_ n(R)=GE_ n(R).\) So it is a great generalization of the corresponding result in classical projective geometry [cf. \textit{R. Baer}, Linear algebra and projective geometry (1952; Zbl 0049.381), Chapter VI.5]. (Reviewer's remark: The proof of the Theorem is very ingenious).