%0 Journal Article %T Topological model categories generated by finite complexes %A A. Chigogidze %A A. Karasev %J Mathematics %D 2002 %I arXiv %X Our main result states that for each finite complex L the category ${\bf TOP}$ of topological spaces possesses a model category structure (in the sense of Quillen) whose weak equivalences are precisely maps which induce isomorphisms of all [L]-homotopy groups. The concept of [L]-homotopy has earlier been introduced by the first author and is based on Dranishnikov's notion of extension dimension. As a corollary we obtain an algebraic characterization of [L]-homotopy equivalences between [L]-complexes. This result extends two classical theorems of J. H. C. Whitehead. One of them -- describing homotopy equivalences between CW-complexes as maps inducing isomorphisms of all homotopy groups -- is obtained by letting $L = \{{\rm point}\}$. The other -- describing n-homomotopy equivalences between at most $(n+1)$-dimensional CW-complexes as maps inducing isomorophisms of k-dimensional homotopy groups with $k \leq n$ -- by letting $L = S^{n+1}$, $n \geq 0$. %U http://arxiv.org/abs/math/0205014v2