Pentagon and hexagon equations

Abstract: The author will prove that Drinfel'd's pentagon equation implies his two hexagon equations in the Lie algebra, pro-unipotent, pro-

l

and pro-nilpotent contexts.

Review text

The author proves that the Drinfeld's pentagon equation [\textit{V. G. Drinfeld}, Leningr. Math. J. 2, No. 4, 829--860 (1991); translation from Algebra Anal. 2, No. 4, 149--181 (1990; Zbl 0718.16034)] implies his two hexagon equations. More precisely, let \(k\) be a field of characteristic zero, \(k'\) its algebraic closure. Let \(U=k\langle\langle X,Y\rangle\rangle\) be the noncommutative formal power series ring. With \(X\) and \(Y\) primitive, and \(g\) a group-like element of U, let c(g) denote the coefficient of \(X Y\) in \(g\). The author's first theorem says that if \(g\) satisfies the pentagon equation, then there is an element \(u\) in \(k'\) such that the pair \((u,g)\) satisfies the two hexagon equations. In fact, \(u=\text{plus}\) or minus the square root of \(24c(g)\). Then the author's main theorem concerns the defining equations of the Grothendieck-Teichmüller pro-algebraic group GT introduced by Drinfeld [op. cit.]. Let \(F(k)\) be the free pro-unipotent algebraic group on \(x\) and \(y\). Let \(f\) in \(F(k)\) satisfy the pentagon equation in \(K(k)\), the unipotent completion of the pure braid group on four strings. Then there is an element \(v\) in \(k'\) such that \((v,f)\) satisfies the two hexagon equations( the second says that \(f(x,y)f(y,x)=1)\). In fact \(v=\text{plus}\) or minus the square root of \(24d(f)+1\), where \(d(f)=c(f(e^X, e^Y)\). This theorem says that the pentagon equation is essentially a single defining relation of GT. Analogues of the main theorem are proved in the pro-\(l\) group and pro-nilpotent group settings.

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