On the direct products of quasi-finitely axiomatizable groups. (Q2342292)

A finitely generated group \(G\) is called quasi-finitely axiomatizable (QFA) if there exists a first-order sentence \(\varphi\) that is satisfied by \(G\) such that each finitely generated group that satisfies \(\varphi\) is isomorphic to \(G\). This notion was introduced by \textit{A. Nies} [Int. J. Algebra Comput. 13, No. 3, 287-302 (2003; Zbl 1059.20002)]. It is proved that the direct product \(G\times H\) of two QFA-groups is QFA under the additional assumption that there exist bounds on the commutator width in the central extensions of the center of \(G\) by \(H\), and vice versa. The converse is true if the groups \(G\) and \(H\) are \(\mathbb Z\)-replaceable, in particular if they are residually solvable. Thus the statements are equivalent, for instance, in the classes of finitely generated abelian-by-polycyclic or abelian-by-metanilpotent groups. This follows from results by A. H. Rhemtulla on the commutator width in these classes.