Finite groups without elements of order 10: the case of solvable or almost simple groups

Finite simple groups and their classification (20D05) Sylow subgroups, Sylow properties, (pi)-groups, (pi)-structure (20D20) Special subgroups (Frattini, Fitting, etc.) (20D25) Arithmetic and combinatorial problems involving abstract finite groups (20D60)

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Let $G$ be a finite group, $\pi(G)$ the set of all prime divisors of $|G|$ and let $\varpi(G)$ be set of orders of the elements of $G$.\N\NSolvable groups in which $\varpi(G)$ contains only prime powers were classified independently by \textit{G. Zacher} [Atti Accad. Naz. Lincei, VIII. Ser., Rend., Cl. Sci. Fis. Mat. Nat. 20, 171--174 (1956; Zbl 0075.23906)] and \textit{G. Higman} [J. Lond. Math. Soc. 32, 335--342 (1957; Zbl 0079.03204)]. \textit{M. Suzuki} [Ann. Math. (2) 75, 105--145 (1962; Zbl 0106.24702)] found the simple groups with this property and then \textit{R. Brandl} [Boll. Unione Mat. Ital., V. Ser., A 18, 491--493 (1981; Zbl 0473.20013)] completed the classification of these groups. The non-abelian finite simple groups $G$ with $3 \in \pi(G)$ and $6 \not \in \varpi(G)$ were determined in three independent articles by \textit{N. D. Podufalov} [Algebra Logic 16, 133--135 (1978; Zbl 0411.20011)], \textit{L. F. Fletcher} et al. [Q. J. Math., Oxf. II. Ser. 28, 143--154 (1977; Zbl 0363.20018)] and \textit{L. M. Gordon} [Bull. Aust. Math. Soc. 17, 235--246 (1977; Zbl 0366.20007)].\N\NThe paper under review is devoted to the study of groups $G$ such that $p \in \pi(G)$, $p>3$ and $2p \not \in \varpi(G)$. In Theorem 1, the authors classify the almost simple groups with $5 \in \pi(G)$ and $10 \not \in \varpi(G)$. In the reviewer's opinion, the main result of this paper is Theorem 2: \N\NGiven a prime $p > 3$, if $G$ is a finite solvable group without elements of order $2p$ and $2p$ dividing $|G|$ then one of the following holds: \N\begin{itemize}\N\item[(1)] $G/O(G)$ is isomorphic to a cyclic group or a (generalized) quaternion $2$-group, $\mathrm{SL}_{2}(3)$ or $\mathrm{SL}_{2}(3).2$, a Sylow $p$-subgroup of $O(G)$ is abelian and $O(G)$ is of $p$-length $1$; \N\item[(2)] $G/O_{p'}(G)$ is a cyclic $p$-group or a Frobenius group with cyclic core of order $|G|_{p}$ and cyclic complement of order dividing $p-1$, the degree of nilpotence of a Sylow $2$-subgroup of $O_{p'}(G)$ is at most $(p^{2}-1)/4$ (and this estimate is sharp for $p=5$) and $O_{p'}(G)$ has $2$-length at most $1$.\N\end{itemize}\N\NThe reviewer points out that \textit{G. Higman} [J. Lond. Math. Soc. 32, 321--334 (1957; Zbl 0079.03203)] proved that if a nilpotent group $S$ admits an automorphism $\alpha$ of prime order $p$, then the nilpotency class of $S$ is bounded by a function $k(p)$ of $p$. It is easy to see that $k(2)=1$ and that $k(3)=2$ and Higman showed that $k(5)=6$. Based on these data he conjectured that $k(p)=(p^{2}-1)/4$ and exhibited examples where that limit is actually reached (for a discussion see [\textit{E.~I. Khukhro}, Nilpotent groups and their automorphisms. De Gruyter Expositions in Mathematics 8. Berlin: Walter de Gruyter (1993; Zbl 0795.20018), \S 4.3]). It was also proved by \textit{B.~Scimemi} [unpublished] using a computer and reproved by \textit{I.~Hughes} [C. R. Math. Acad. Sci., Soc. R. Can. 7, 61--66 (1985; Zbl 0563.20024)] with hand calculations, that $k(7)=12$. Higman's conjecture is still open for $p>7$ and the only known bounds for $k(p)$ are more than exponential. So Lemma~5, as it is stated in the paper, is only proven for $p \leq 7$. Since the paper concerns the case $p=5$ this is not a serious error (but this requires a slight modification of (2) in Theorem~2).

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Finite non-solvable groups without elements of order 10

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