  We study a type of left-invariant structure on Lie groups, or equivalently on
Lie algebras. We introduce obstructions to the existence of a hypo structure,
namely the 5-dimensional geometry of hypersurfaces in manifolds with holonomy
SU(3). The choice of a splitting g^*=V_1 + V_2, and the vanishing of certain
associated cohomology groups, determine a first obstruction. We also construct
necessary conditions for the existence of a hypo structure with a fixed
almost-contact form. For non-unimodular Lie algebras, we derive an obstruction
to the existence of a hypo structure, with no choice involved. We apply these
methods to classify solvable Lie algebras that admit a hypo structure.
