On generalized derivations of prime and semiprime rings. (Q424632)

Let \(R\) be a ring, and for each \(x,y\in R\) denote by \(x\circ y\) the anti-commutator \(xy+yx\). A generalized derivation on \(R\) is an additive map \(F\colon R\to R\) for which there exists a derivation \(d\) on \(R\) (called the associated derivation) such that \(F(xy)=F(x)y+xd(y)\) for all \(x,y\in R\). The author proves that if \(R\) is prime, \(I\) is a nonzero ideal of \(R\) and \(n\) is a fixed positive integer, then \(R\) must be commutative if it admits a generalized derivation \(F\) with nonzero associated derivation \(d\) such that \((F(x\circ y))^n=x\circ y\) for all \(x,y\in I\). If \(I=R\), the result holds for semiprime \(R\) as well.