On higher-derivative dilatonic gravity in two dimensions

We discuss lowering the order of the two-dimensional scalar-tensor $R^2$ quantum gravity, by mapping the most general version of the model to a multi-dilaton gravity, which is essentially the sigma-model coupled with Jackiw-Teitelboim-like gravity. In the continuation of our previous research, we calculate the divergent part of the one-loop effective action in a 2D scalar-tensor (dilatonic) gravity with Ra2-term, which belongs to a specific degenerate case and cannot be obtained from the general expression. The corresponding finiteness conditions are found.