[Math] Isomorphism involving the opposite of a ring

abstract-algebranoncommutative-algebra

Given a ring $R$, its opposite ring $R^{\text{op}}$ is defined as the ring formed by considering the same underlying set of $R$ with the same addition but with multiplication performed in the reversed order. Let's note the multiplication in $R^{\text{op}}$ by $*$. The ring $R^{\text{op}}$ is a left $R$-module with the multiplication in $R$.

We have that $R^{\text{op}}$ and $R$ are isomorphic as left $R$-modules (being the identity map one such isomorphism) and then $\mathrm{End}_{R}(R^{\text{op}})$ and $\mathrm{End}_{R}(R)$ are isomorphic as rings.

If $R$ is a unital ring we have a ring isomorphism $\phi:R \rightarrow \mathrm{End}_{R}(R^{\text{op}})$ given by $\phi(a)(x) = a * x$.

If all this is correct, then $R$ and $\mathrm{End}_{R}(R)$ are isomorphic as rings. Is this OK?

I'm confused because if I write down the isomorphisms and perform the composition I don't get a ring isomorphism between $R$ and $\mathrm{End}_{R}(R)$. But I don't know where is the error. I think that the fallacious step is when I claim "…then $\mathrm{End}_{R}(R^{\text{op}})$ and $\mathrm{End}_{R}(R)$ are isomorphic as rings". But I don't see why.

Best Answer

The endomorphism ring of $R$ as a left $R$-module (equivalently, of $R^{op}$ as a right $R^{op}$-module) is $R^{op}$, which need not be isomorphic to $R$.

The correct statement for $R$ is then that $R$ is naturally isomorphic to the endomorphism of $R$ as a right $R$-module. This is Cayley's theorem for rings, and is a corollary of the (enriched) Yoneda lemma (although it also admits a straightforward direct proof).