Hopf-Galois structures on extensions of degree $p^{2} q$ and skew braces of order $p^{2} q$: the cyclic Sylow $p$-subgroup case

Abstract: $\DeclareMathOperator{\Aut}{Aut}$Let $p, q$ be distinct primes, with $p > 2$. We classify the Hopf-Galois structures on Galois extensions of degree $p^{2} q$, such that the Sylow $p$-subgroups of the Galois group are cyclic. This we do, according to Greither and Pareigis, and Byott, by classifying the regular subgroups of the holomorphs of the groups $(G, \cdot)$ of order $p^{2} q$, in the case when the Sylow $p$-subgroups of $G$ are cyclic. This is equivalent to classifying the skew braces $(G, \cdot, \circ)$. Furthermore, we prove that if $G$ and $\Gamma$ are groups of order $p^{2} q$ with non-isomorphic Sylow $p$-subgroups, then there are no regular subgroups of the holomorph of $G$ which are isomorphic to $\Gamma$. Equivalently, a Galois extension with Galois group $\Gamma$ has no Hopf-Galois structures of type $G$. Our method relies on the alternate brace operation $\circ$ on $G$, which we use mainly indirectly, that is, in terms of the functions $\gamma : G \to \Aut(G)$ defined by $g \mapsto (x \mapsto (x \circ g) \cdot g^{-1})$. These functions are in one-to-one correspondence with the regular subgroups of the holomorph of $G$, and are characterised by the functional equation $\gamma(g^{\gamma(h)} \cdot h) = \gamma(g) \gamma(h)$, for $g, h \in G$. We develop methods to deal with these functions, with the aim of making their enumeration easier, and more conceptual.