On nilpotency of higher commutator subgroups of a finite soluble group

Abstract

Let $G$ be a finite soluble group and $G^{(k)}$ the $k$th term of the derived series of $G$. We prove that $G^{(k)}$ is nilpotent if and only if $|ab|=|a||b|$ for any $\delta_k$-values $a,b\in G$ of coprime orders. In the course of the proof we establish the following result of independent interest: Let $P$ be a Sylow $p$-subgroup of $G$. Then $P\cap G^{(k)}$ is generated by $\delta_k$-values contained in $P$. This is related to the so-called Focal Subgroup Theorem.