Centralizers of involutory automorphisms of groups of odd order. (Q2460007)

Let \(G\) be a finite group of odd order admitting an involutory automorphism \(\varphi\). Asar showed that if \(C_G(\varphi)\) is nilpotent then so are both \([G,\varphi]'\) and \(G/[G,\varphi]\). It follows that if \(G=[G,\varphi]\) and \(C_G(\varphi)\) is nilpotent then \(C_G(\varphi)\leq F(G)\). Theorem 1.1. Let \(G\) be a finite group of odd order admitting an involutory automorphism \(\varphi\) such that \(G=[G,\varphi]\). Suppose that \(C_G(\varphi)\) has a nilpotent subgroup of index \(n\). Then the index \([G':F(G')]\) is bounded by a function depending only on \(n\). It follows that the index of \(C_G(\varphi)\cap F(G)\) in \(F(C_G(\varphi))\) is bounded by a function of \(n\).