On Andrews-Curtis conjectures for soluble groups

Abstract

The Andrews-Curtis conjecture claims that every normally generating $n$-tuple of a free group $F_n$ of rank $n \ge 2$ can be reduced to a basis by means of Nielsen transformations and arbitrary conjugations. Replacing $F_n$ by an arbitrary finitely generated group yields natural generalizations whose study may help disprove the original and unsettled conjecture. We prove that every finitely generated soluble group satisfies the generalized Andrews-Curtis conjecture in the sense of Borovik, Lubotzky and Myasnikov. In contrast, we show that some soluble Baumslag-Solitar groups do not satisfy the generalized Andrews-Curtis conjecture in the sense of Burns and Macedo\'nska.