Sets of prime numbers satisfying a divisibility condition (Q678392)

Let \(P\) be a set of prime numbers. For any subset \(A\) of \(P\) let \(\Pi A\) denote the product of all primes in \(A\). The set \(P\) is said to satisfy condition (*) if \(\text{gcd} (\Pi A-\Pi B\), \(\Pi P)=1\) for all disjoint, non-empty subsets \(A,B\) of \(P\). The authors have previously proved [J. Graph Theory 13, No. 5, 593-595 (1989; Zbl 0691.05053)] that for all \(k\) there exists a set \(P\) of \(k\) primes satisfying (*). Now let \(n_k\) be the smallest \(\Pi P\), where \(P\) is a set of \(k\) primes satisfying (*). Theorem 1: If \(P\) is a set of \(k\) primes, \(k \geq 2\), satisfying (*), and \(p\) is the smallest prime in \(P\), then \[ k\leq\log_2 (p-1)+2. \] Further, if \(P\) cannot be extended to a set of \(k+1\) primes satisfying (*) then \[ k\geq\text{Min} (r:3^{r-1}-2^{r-1} \geq p-1)= \text{one of } \lceil \log_3(p-1) \rceil+1\quad \text{or} \quad \lceil \log_2(p-1) \rceil+2. \] Theorem 2: (a) For \(k\geq 2\), \[ (\log_2n_k)/k^2> 1-2/k. \] (b) For \(\varepsilon>0\), \[ (\log_2 n_k)/k^2 <\log_2 (3+\varepsilon) \] for all \(k\) sufficiently large.