$p$-groups of maximal class as automorphism groups

Abstract

We classify the (finite) $p$-groups of maximal class that are isomorphic to the full automorphism group of a (finite or infinite) group. The only such $p$-groups are the nonabelian groups of order $8$ and 3-groups in a certain family, whose structure is fully described. Up to isomorphism there is exactly one such 3-group for each even nilpotency class greater than $2$, and none for other classes.