A differential graded Lie algebra approach to non abelian extensions of associative algebras

Abstract: In this paper we show that non abelian extensions of an associative algebra $\mathcal{B}$ by an associative algebra $\mathcal{A}$ can be viewed as Maurer-Cartan elements of a suitable differential graded Lie algebra $L$. In particular we show that $\mathcal{MC}(L)$, the Deligne groupoid of $L$, is in 1-1 correspondence with the non-abelian cohomology $H^2_{nab}(\mathcal{B},\mathcal{A})$.