We develop methods for constructing explicit generators, modulo torsion, of the $K_3$-groups of imaginary quadratic number fields. These methods are based on either tessellations of hyperbolic $3$-space or on direct calculations in suitable pre-Bloch groups and lead to the very first proven examples of explicit generators, modulo torsion, of any infinite $K_3$-group of a number field. As part of this approach, we make several improvements to the theory of Bloch groups for $ K_3 $ of any field, predict the precise power of $2$ that should occur in the Lichtenbaum conjecture at $ -1 $ and prove that this prediction is valid for all abelian number fields.

Assuming a version of the Lichtenbaum conjecture, we apply Brauer-Kuroda relations between the Dedekind zeta function of a number field and the zeta function of some of its subfields to prove formulas relating the order of the tame kernel of a number field F with the orders of the tame kernels of some of its subfields. The details are given for fields F which are Galois over ℚ with Galois group the group ℤ/2 × ℤ/2, the dihedral group D2p; p an odd prime, or the alternating group A4. We include numerical results illustrating these formulas.

We investigate a connection between the differential of polylogarithms (as considered by Cathelineau) and a finite variant of them. This allows to answer a question raised by Kontsevich concerning the construction of functional equations for the finite analogs, using in part the p-adic version of polylogarithms and recent work of Besser. Kontsevich's original unpublished note is supplied (with his kind permission) in an ‘Appendix’ at the end of the paper.