The module of derivations of regular local rings (Q4934121)

Let \(k\) be a (commutative) ring and \(A\) a local \(k\)-algebra, such that the module of \(k\)-derivations \(\text{Der}_kA\) is finitely generated over \(A\). For a field \(k\) it is well known that \(\text{Der}_kA\) is free, if \(A\) is regular, admits a universal module of Kähler differentials, and its residue field is separably generated over \(k\). -- The author shows that \(\text{Der}_kA\) is always free, if it can be generated by two elements over \(A\) and \(A\) is a unique factorization domain. Results like this could eventually help to find a counterexample to the Zariski-Lipman conjecture, which claims that \(A\) is regular, if \(A\) is an affine local \(k\)-algebra over a field \(k\) of characteristic zero and \(\text{Der}_kA\) is free. Moreover, the author shows that \(\text{Der}_kA\) is free, if \(A\) is regular and the maximally \(\text{Der}_k A\)-differential ideal of \(A\) has height \(\leq 2\).