Permutable subgroups and the Maier-Schmid theorem for nilpotent-by-finite groups (Q2285310)

A subgroup \(H\) of a group \(G\) is \textit{permutable} (in \(G\)) if \(HK=KH\) for every \(K \leq G\). \textit{R. Maier} and \textit{P. Schmid} [Math. Z. 131, 269--272 (1973; Zbl 0259.20017)] proved this remarkable result: if \(G\) is a finite group, then every core-free permutable subgroup of \(G\) is contained in the hypercentre of \(G\). The Maier-Schmid theorem is known to hold true in various classes of infinite groups, in most cases satisfying finiteness conditions, or also, for instance, for locally cyclic permutable subgroups of arbitrary groups. The main result proven in the paper under review is Theorem 2.6: Let \(G\) be a nilpotent-by-finite group and let \(H\) be a core-free permutable subgroup of \(G\). Then \(H \leq Z_{n}(G)\) for some positive integer \(n\). As a consequence, \(H\) is nilpotent and subnormal in \(G\). Another interesting result is Corollary 2.2: Every core-free permutable subgroup of an abelian-by-finite group is finite. With a nice example, the authors show that nilpotent groups may have infinite permutable core-free sugroups.