LAUSR

Abstract This paper gives a detailed and explicit description of all the 2-minimal subgroups for the finite linear and unitary groups defined over fields of odd characteristic. Also the 2-minimal subgroups of all the subgroups of these groups which contain the special linear and special unitary subgroups are described. For a finite group G, a subgroup P of G is 2-minimal if B P , where B = N G ( S ) for some Sylow 2-subgroup S of G, and B is contained in a unique maximal subgroup of P. The 2-minimal subgroups of certain monomial groups, which play an important role in this work, are also determined.