Smooth noncompact operators from C(K), K scattered

Let X be a Banach space, K be a scattered compact and T: B _C(K) → X be a Fréchet smooth operator whose derivative is uniformly continuous. We introduce the smooth biconjugate T**: B _C(K)** → X** and prove that if T is noncompact, then the derivative of T** at some point is a noncompact linear operator. Using this we conclude, among other things, that either is compact or that ℓ₁ is a complemented subspace of X*. We also give some relevant examples of smooth functions and operators, in particular, a C ^1,u -smooth noncompact operator from B _{c O} which does not fix any (affine) basic sequence. P. Hájek was supported by grants A100190502, Institutional Research Plan AV0Z10190503.