Rings and C-algebras generated by commutators

• Published in: Journal of algebra Vol. 662; pp. 214 - 241
• Main Authors: Gardella, Eusebio, Thiel, Hannes
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Inc 2025
• Subjects: [formula omitted]-algebras; C -algebras; Commutativity; Commutators; Matematik; Mathematics; secondary; Commutativity; Commutators; C⁎-algebras; primary; algebras; C & lowast
• ISSN: 0021-8693; 1090-266X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jalgebra.2024.08.020

We show that a unital ring is generated by its commutators as an ideal if and only if there exists a natural number N such that every element is a sum of N products of pairs of commutators. We show that one can take N≤2 for matrix rings, and that one may choose N≤3 for rings that contain a direct sum of matrix rings – this in particular applies to C*-algebras that are properly infinite or have real rank zero. For Jiang-Su-stable C*-algebras, we show that N≤6 can be arranged. For arbitrary rings, we show that every element in the commutator ideal admits a power that is a sum of products of commutators. Using that a C*-algebra cannot be a radical extension over a proper ideal, we deduce that a C*-algebra is generated by its commutators as a not necessarily closed ideal if and only if every element is a finite sum of products of pairs of commutators.