H-infinity is not E-infinity

Abstract

We provide an example of a spectrum over S^0 with an H_\infty structure which does not rigidify to an E_3 structure. It follows that in the category of spectra over S^0 not every H_\infty ring spectrum comes from an underlying E_\infty ring spectrum. After comparing definitions, we obtain this example by applying \Sigma^\infty_+ to the counterexample to the transfer conjecture constructed by Kraines and Lada.