Rational Whitehead products and a spectral sequence of Quillen

Abstract

A third order rational Whitehead product is defined in terms of the appropriate differential graded Lie algebra. The product is used to calculate the second differential in Quillen's rational reverse Adams spectral sequence. Some facts about a fourth order product are stated, and conjectures are made concerning higher order products. The products of this paper are compared to those defined by Zeeman, Hardie, and Porter.