Thompson-like characterizations of the solvable radical. (Q2496871)

The main result (Theorem 1.1) is a proof of a conjecture by \textit{P. Flavell} [in Adv. Stud. Pure Math. 32, 291-300 (2001; Zbl 1008.20020)]: If \(G\) is a finite group and \(y\in G\), then \(y\) is an element of the soluble radical of \(G\) if and only if, for each \(x\in G\), the subgroup generated by \(x\) and \(y\) is soluble. Analogues of this result for finite-dimensional Lie algebras and for some classes of infinite groups are also proved. In this context, also pairs of elements are considered (Theorem 6.4): If \(G\) is a finite group and \(x\) and \(y\) are elements of \(G\) not belonging to the soluble radical of \(G\), then there exists \(s\in G\) such that neither \(\langle x,s\rangle\) nor \(\langle y,s\rangle\) is soluble.