On the theory of generalized FC-groups. (Q2431544)

For each non-negative integer \(n\), the group class \(\text{FC}^n\) can be defined recursively in the following way: \(\text{FC}^0\) is the class of all finite groups, and a group \(G\) belongs to \(\text{FC}^{n+1}\) if \(G/C_G(\langle x\rangle^G)\) is an \(\text{FC}^n\)-group for every element \(x\) of \(G\). Moreover, \(\text{FC}^*\) denotes the class of all groups which have the property \(\text{FC}^n\) for some \(n\). Clearly, \(\text{FC}^1\) is the well-known class of FC-groups, i.e., groups with finite conjugacy classes of elements. The class \(\text{FC}^*\) has been introduced by \textit{A. Russo, G. Vincenzi} and the reviewer [in Serdica Math. J. 28, No. 3, 241-254 (2002; Zbl 1031.20030)], where some relevant results on FC-groups have been extended to \(\text{FC}^*\)-groups. In the paper under review, the authors prove some more results concerning the class \(\text{FC}^*\). The main result is the following. Let \(G\) be an \(\text{FC}^n\)-group, and let \(T\) be the largest periodic normal subgroup of \(G\); then every subgroup of \(G\) is an intersection of subgroups of finite index (i.e., it is closed in the profinite topology) if and only if all Sylow subgroups of \(G\) are Abelian-by-finite and have finite exponent, all Sylow subgroups of \(\gamma_{n+1}(G)\) are finite and \(G/T\) is a torsion-free nilpotent group with finite rank having no subnormal section of type \(p^\infty\) for any prime number \(p\). This result extends a previous one obtained by the same authors for FC-groups [J. Pure Appl. Algebra 213, No. 4, 421-429 (2009; Zbl 1163.20020)].