On generalized morphisms associated to endofunctors of C*-algebras

Abstract

We introduce a class of good endofunctors of $C^{*}$-algebras, endow it with a structure of a bimonoidal category, and define homotopies of natural transformations between such endofunctors. For every pair of $C^{*}$-algebras and a good endofunctor, we construct a commutative monoid of generalized morphisms, and endow these monoids with a bilinear composition. This construction generalizes the homotopy category of asymptotic homomorphisms used in the definition of the Connes-Higson $E$-theory. We also introduce the notion of asymptotically adjoint good endofunctors, which has interesting applications to $E$-theory and $K$-homology.