We study generators of the fundamental group of the group of symplectomorphisms $\operatorname {\mathrm{Symp}} (\mathbb C\mathbb P^2\#\,5\overline { \mathbb C\mathbb P}\,\!^2, \omega )$ for some particular symplectic forms. It was observed by Kȩdra (2009, Archivum Mathematicum 45) that there are many symplectic 4-manifolds $(M, \omega )$, where M is neither rational nor ruled, that admit no circle action and $\pi _1 (\operatorname {\mathrm {Ham}} (M,\omega ))$ is nontrivial. On the other hand, it follows from Abreu and McDuff (2000, Journal of the American Mathematical Society 13, 971–1009), Anjos and Eden (2019, Michigan Mathematical Journal 68, 71–126), Anjos and Pinsonnault (2013, Mathematische Zeitschrift 275, 245–292), and Pinsonnault (2008, Compositio Mathematica 144, 787–810) that the fundamental group of the group $ \operatorname {\mathrm{Symp}}_h(\mathbb C\mathbb P^2\#\,k\overline { \mathbb C\mathbb P}\,\!^2,\omega )$, of symplectomorphisms that act trivially on homology, with $k \leq 4$, is generated by circle actions on the manifold. We show that, for some particular symplectic forms $\omega $, the set of all Hamiltonian circle actions generates a proper subgroup in $\pi _1(\operatorname {\mathrm{Symp}}_{h}(\mathbb C\mathbb P^2\#\,5\overline { \mathbb C\mathbb P}\,\!^2,\omega )).$ Our work depends on Delzant classification of toric symplectic manifolds, Karshon’s classification of Hamiltonian $S^1$-spaces, and the computation of Seidel elements of some circle actions.

Let $G$ be a simple, compact, simply-connected Lie group localized at an odd prime $p$. We study the group of homotopy classes of self-maps $\left[ G,\,G \right]$ when the rank of $G$ is low and in certain cases describe the set of homotopy classes of multiplicative self-maps $H\left[ G,\,G \right]$. The low rank condition gives $G$ certain structural properties which make calculations accessible. Several examples and applications are given.