Commuting elements in a conjugacy class of finite groups (Q328761)

The authors consider the following conjecture: A nonidentity conjugacy class in a finite simple group contains at least two commuting elements. In the given paper, they verify this conjecture for any conjugacy class of involutions, for the projective groups \(L_n(q)\), the alternating groups \(A_n\) with \(n\geq 5\) and the sporadic groups. The proofs use the theory of left distributive groupoids (see surveys [Russ. Math. Surv. 39, No. 6, 211--212 (1984); translation from Usp. Mat. Nauk 39, No. 6(240), 191--192 (1984; Zbl 0581.20067); ``Quasigroups'', Itogi Nauki Tekhn. Algebra. Topology. Geometry Uspekhi Mat. Nauk 89, No. 6, 191--198 (1984)] of the first author and the paper [J. Math. Sci., New York 130, No. 3, 4720--4723 (2005; Zbl 1144.20321); translation from Zap. Nauchn. Semin. POMI 305, 136--143 (2003)] of the second author), [\textit{J. H. Conway} et al., Atlas of finite groups. Maximal subgroups and ordinary characters for simple groups. Oxford: Clarendon Press (1985; Zbl 0568.20001)] and some properties of the natural \(\mathrm{GL}_n(q)\)-module.