On laws of the form \(ab\equiv ba\) equivalent to the abelian law (Q509912)

Summary: \textit{N. D. Gupta} [Arch. Math. 17, 97--102 (1966; Zbl 0135.04302)] has proved that groups which satisfy the laws \([x,y]\equiv [x,_ny]\) for \(n=2,3\) are abelian. Every law \([x,y]\equiv [x,_ny]\) can be written in the form \(ab\equiv ba\) where \(a,b\) belong to a free group \(F_2\) of rank two, and the normal closure of \(\langle a,b \rangle\) coincides with \(F_2\). In this work we investigate laws of this form. In particular, we discuss certain classes of laws and show that the metabelian groups which satisfy them are abelian.