The nilpotency class of the unit group of a modular group algebra. I (Q749633)

[For Part II cf. \textit{A. Mann} and the author, ibid. 70, No.3, 267-277 (1990; Zbl 0693.16008).] Let G be a finite p-group and let F be a field of p elements. Let U(G) be the group of normalized units of the modular group algebra FG. U(G) is also a finite p-group and the paper aims to study its nilpotency class. It is known, by the work of \textit{D. B. Coleman} and \textit{D. S. Passman} [Proc. Am. Math. Soc. 25, 510-512 (1970; Zbl 0205.041)] that if G is nonabelian then the wreath product \(C_ p wr C_ p\), where \(C_ p\) is a cyclic group of order p, is involved as a section of U(G). The present paper significantly extends this result to the involvement of other wreath products in U(G), results of \textit{C. Baginski} [Proc. Am. Math. Soc. 101, 619-624 (1987; Zbl 0639.16006)] and \textit{J. Buckley} [Ill. J. Math. 14, 274-282 (1970; Zbl 0194.047)] being relevant. It is shown that if G, for \(p>2\), has a cyclic derived group \(G'\) then \(C_ p wr G'\) is involved in U(G). Combining this result with certain inequalities it follows in this case that the nilpotency class of U(G) is precisely equal to \(| G'|\).