Conjugacy classes of \(\pi \)-elements and nilpotent/abelian Hall \(\pi \)-subgroups (Q6045499)

The probability \(\mathrm{Pr}(G)\) that two uniformly and randomly chosen elements of a finite group \(G\) commute is given by \(k(G)/|G|\) where \(k(G)\) denotes the number of conjugacy classes of \(G\). The implications of the value of \(\mathrm{Pr}(G)\) on the algebraic structure of \(G\) have long been studied. For example, \textit{W. H. Gustafson} [Am. Math. Mon. 80, 1031--1034 (1973; Zbl 0276.60013)] proved that \(\mathrm{Pr}(G) > 5/8\) if and only if \(G\) is abelian. More recently, \textit{R. M. Guralnick} and \textit{G. R. Robinson} [J. Algebra 300, No. 2, 509--528 (2006; Zbl 1100.20045)] proved that if \(\mathrm{Pr}(G) > 1/p\) then \(G\) is nilpotent, where \(p\) is the smallest prime divisor of \(|G|\), and \textit{T. C. Burness} et al. [``On the commuting probability of $p$-elements in a finite group'', Preprint, \url{arXiv 2112.08681}] proved that if \(\mathrm{Pr}(G) > (p^2 + p-1)/p^3\) then \(G\) is abelian. \textit{A. Maróti} and \textit{H. N. Nguyen} [Arch. Math. 102, No. 2, 101--108 (2014; Zbl 1295.20016)] generalised the result of Gustafson [loc. cit.] in the following sense. Let \(\pi\) be a set of primes and call an element of \(G\) a \(\pi\)-element if its order is a \(\pi\)-number, that is its order is only divisible by primes in \(\pi\). Let \(k_{\pi}(G)\) denote the number of conjugacy classes of \(\pi\)-elements in \(G\) and let \(|G|_{\pi}\) denote the largest \(\pi\)-number that divides \(|G|\). Set \(d_{\pi}(G) = k_{\pi}(G)/|G|_{\pi}\). Maróti and Nguyen [loc. cit.] proved that if \(d_{\pi}(G) > 5/8\) then \(G\) has an abelian Hall \(\pi\)-subgroup. In the paper under review, the authors follow this theme and generalise the previously mentioned results as follows. Suppose \(p\) is the smallest member of \(\pi\). If \(d_{\pi}(G) > 1/p\), then \(G\) has a nilpotent Hall \(\pi\)-subgroup, and if \(d_{\pi}(G) > (p^2+p-1)/p^3\) then \(G\) has an abelian Hall \(\pi\)-subgroup. For \(p \neq 2\), the authors reduce the problem to that of simple groups and use the classification of finite simple groups. For \(p=2\), the classification can be avoided. The paper concludes with examples and the following open question: for \(\pi\) a set of odd primes what is the exact lower bound for \(d_{\pi}(G)\) to ensure the existence of a nilpotent Hall \({\pi}\)-subgroup?