On center-like elements in rings (Q1063097)

The results in this paper are based on the following theorem of I. N. Herstein: Let R be a prime ring with center Z, I a nonzero ideal of R, \(a\in R\), and \(n>0\) a fixed integer. If for all \(x\in I\), \((ax-xa)^ n=0\) then \(a\in Z\); and, if \((ax-xa)^ n\in Z\) then either \(a\in Z\) or R is an order in a simple algebra four dimensional over its center [\textit{I. N. Herstein}, J. Algebra 60, 567-574 (1979; Zbl 0436.16014)]. The authors use this theorem to obtain certain generalizations of it. For example, the conclusions of Herstein's theorem hold if (ax-xa) is replaced with \([\cdot \cdot \cdot [a,x_ 1],\cdot \cdot \cdot,x_ m]\), for m fixed, where \([x,y]=xy-yx\). They also show that when Z is infinite either \([a,[x_ 1,\cdot \cdot \cdot [x_{m-1},x_ m]\cdot \cdot \cdot]^ n=0\), or \((ax^ k-x^ ma)^ n=0\) and char \(R\neq 2\), forces \(a\in Z\), where again, all \(x_ i\in I\) and k,m,n are fixed.