On a conjecture of Nakai (Q1337803)

Throughout this paper \(k\) denotes a field of characteristic zero, \(s\) and \(q\) natural numbers, \(P\) the polynomial ring \(k[X_ 1, \dots, X_ s]\) and \(I\) an ideal of \(P\). All rings are assumed to be commutative with unit element. For an affine \(k\)-algebra \(A\) let \(\text{Diff}^ q_ k (A)\) be the set of all \(q\)-th order differential operators of \(A\) over \(k\), \(\text{Der}^ q_ k (A)\) the set of all \(q\)-th order derivations of \(A\) over \(k\) [cf. \textit{Y. Nakai}, Osaka J. Math. 7, 1-27 (1970; Zbl 0197.315); I, 1], \(\text{Der}_ k (A)\) the \(k\)-algebra \(\bigcup_{q \in \mathbb{N}} \text{Diff}^ q_ k (A)\), and \(\text{der}_ k (A)\) the subalgebra generated by the first order derivations. In ``Éléments de géométrie algébrique'', IV. 4 [cf. Publ. Math., Inst. Hautes Étud. Sci. 32 (1967; Zbl 0153.223); 16.11.2], \textit{A. Grothendieck} has shown that \(\text{Der}_ k(A) = \text{der}_ k (A)\) if \(A\) is regular. The Nakai conjecture states the converse. We shall prove the conjecture in the case that \(A\) can be written in the form \(P/I\) where \(I\) is generated by monomials.