Set-theoretic solutions of the Yang-Baxter equation, Braces, and Symmetric groups

We involve simultaneously the theory of matched pairs of groups and the theory of braces to study set-theoretic solutions of the Yang-Baxter equation (YBE). We show the intimate relation between the notions of a symmetric group (a braided involutive group) and a left brace, and find new results on symmetric groups of finite multipermutation level and the corresponding braces. We introduce a new invariant of a symmetric group $(G,r)$, \emph{the derived chain of ideals of} $G$, which gives a precise information about the recursive process of retraction of $G$. We prove that every symmetric group $(G,r)$ of finite multipermutation level $m$ is a solvable group of solvable length at most $m$. To each set-theoretic solution $(X,r)$ of YBE we associate two invariant sequences of symmetric groups: (i) the sequence of its derived symmetric groups; (ii) the sequence of its derived permutation groups and explore these for explicit descriptions of the recursive process of retraction. We find new criteria necessary and sufficient to claim that $(X, r)$ is a multipermutation solution.