On the Exponent of the Schur Multiplier

Abstract

A longstanding problem attributed to I. Schur says that for a finite group $G$, the exponent of the second homology group $H_2(G, \mathbb{Z})$ divides the exponent of $G$. In this paper, we prove this conjecture for finite nilpotent groups of odd exponent and of nilpotency class 5, $p$-central metabelian $p$ groups, and groups considered by L. E . Wilson in \cite{LEW}. Moreover, we improve several bounds given by various authors.