TITLE: Lie algebra of a compact Lie group and derivations of the Hopf algebra of representative functions
QUESTION [5 upvotes]: Let $\mathcal{G}$ be a compact (real) Lie group. We know that the Lie algebra $\mathfrak{g}$ of $\mathcal{G}$ is, by definition, the space of all left-invariant (smooth) vector fields over $\mathcal{G}$ with bracket given by the commutator. We also know that it is isomorphic, as a Lie algebra, with $T_e\mathcal{G}$ (the tangent space to $\mathcal{G}$ at the neutral element $e$).
Consider the Hopf algebra of representative functions $H:=\mathcal{R}_{\mathbb{R}}(\mathcal{G})$ associated to $\mathcal{G}$ and recall that $H\subseteq \mathcal{C}^\infty(\mathcal{G})$ is a dense subspace with respect to the supremum norm (Proposition I.3.12 of Brocker, Dieck, Representations of Compact Lie Groups together with Peter-Weyl Throem). The Lie algebra $\mathcal{P}(H^\circ)$ of primitive elements of its finite dual is isomorphic the Lie algebra of left-invariant derivations ${^{H}\mathsf{Der}_{\mathbb{R}}(H,H)}$ (i.e., derivations $\delta:H\to H$ such that $\Delta\delta=(H\otimes \delta)\Delta$).
I would expect to have an isomorphism $\mathfrak{g}\cong {^{H}\mathsf{Der}_{\mathbb{R}}(H,H)}$.

Q1. Is this true?

I didn't find it anywhere in the literature, whence I am trying to provide one by myself.
Let $X$ be a left-invariant vector field and let $\varphi$ be a smooth function on $\mathcal{G}$. Then $\boldsymbol{X}(\varphi):\mathcal{G}\to \mathbb{R}$ given by $\boldsymbol{X}(\varphi)(g) = X_g(\varphi)$ ($X_g\in T_g\mathcal{G}$) is a smooth function and hence we have an assignment $\boldsymbol{X}:\mathcal{C}^\infty(\mathcal{G})\to \mathcal{C}^\infty(\mathcal{G})$. One can verify that this induces a Lie algebra map
$$\mathfrak{g}\to {^{H}\mathsf{Der}_{\mathbb{R}}(H,H)}: X\mapsto \boldsymbol{X}.$$
To provide a candidate inverse to this morphism, I consider a left-invariant derivation $\delta$ and for every $g$ in $\mathcal{G}$ the function $\delta_g:\mathcal{R}_{\mathbb{R}}(\mathcal{G})\to \mathbb{R}, \varphi\mapsto\delta(\varphi)(g)$. Now, I would expect to be able to extend such a function to the whole $\mathcal{C}^\infty(\mathcal{G})$, maybe resorting to the Continuous Linear Extension Theorem (see Theorem 5.7.6 in Foundations of Applied Mathematics, Volume I: Mathematical Analysis by Humpherys, Jarvis, Evans), but I didn't manage to.

Q2. Could somebody suggest a way to do this?
Q3. Is there some reference in which this is treated in some detail?

OT: I already asked it on MSE, but maybe it could be that this question is more suitable for MO.

REPLY [2 votes]: Some years ago we did something that -I think- answers the algebraic version of your question [FS].
If you have a Hopf algebra $H$, then the counit gives you a map $\varepsilon_* :\mathrm{Hom}(H,H)\to \mathrm{Hom}(H,k)$. This map has a nice and natural splitting 
$$H^*\to \mathrm{End}(H)$$
$$f\mapsto F$$
where $F(h)=h_1f(h_2)$. This splitting actually lift to a splitting of the maps
$$\varepsilon_*:\mathrm{Hom}(H^{\otimes n},H)\to
\mathrm{Hom}(H^{\otimes n},k)$$
for all $n$, 
in a way that it is compatible with Hochschild coboundary, and stable under Gerstenhaber bracket (see the proof of Theorem 1.5 in the reference above).
In particular, $\mathrm{Der}(H,k)$ injects into $\mathrm{Der}(H,H)$. For $H=\mathcal O(G)$, $\mathrm{Der}(H,k)$ (with $k$ viewed as $H$-module via $\varepsilon$) is -almost by definition- ${\frak g}=T_e(G)$, and $\mathrm{Der}(H,H)$ is the algebraic version of ${\frak X}(G)$. The compatibility with Gerstenhaber structure says that these maps are Lie algebra maps.
So you get a "Hopf"-way of defining "the unique left invariant vector field" associated to an element in 
the tangent space of the identity, and for $H=\mathcal O(G)$ you get a precise map
$$\mathrm{Der}(\mathcal O(G),\mathcal O(G))
\cong 
\mathcal O(G)\otimes \mathrm{Der}(\mathcal O(G),k)
=\mathcal O(G)\otimes\frak g.$$
Regarding the $C^\infty$-problems, I think that if you write the formula " $F(h)=h_1f(h_2)$" in a diagrammatic way, you should be able to do the $C^\infty$-case.
[FS] M. Farinati - A. Solotar, G-Structure on the cohomology of Hopf algebras, Proc. Amer. Math. Soc. 132 (2004), 2859-2865.] (also in https://arxiv.org/abs/math/0207243)