Derivations with Invertible Values on a Lie Ideal

Abstract

AbstractLet R be a ring which possesses a unit element, a Lie ideal U ⊄ Z, and a derivation d such that d(U) ≠ 0 and d(u) is 0 or invertible, for all u ∈ U. We prove that R must be either a division ring D or D2, the 2 X 2 matrices over a division ring unless d is not inner, R is not semiprime, and either 2R or 3R is 0. We also examine for which division rings D, D2 can possess such a derivation and study when this derivation must be inner.