On C*-completions of discrete quantum group rings

Abstract

We discuss just infiniteness of C*-algebras associated to discrete quantum groups and relate it to the C*-uniqueness of the quantum groups in question, i.e. to the uniqueness of a C*-completion of the underlying Hopf *-algebra. It is shown that duals of q-deformations of simply connected semisimple compact Lie groups are never C*-unique. On the other hand we present an example of a discrete quantum group which is not locally finite and yet is C*-unique.

13 pages, v2 corrects small points and adds more explanations. This version will appear in the Bulletin of the London Mathematical Society