Nilpotent elements in group rings

The main theorem gives necessary and sufficient conditions for the rational group algebra QG to be without (nonzero) nilpotent elements if G is a nilpotent or F·C group. For finite groups G, a characterisation of group rings RG over a commutative ring with the same property is given. As an application those nilpotent or F·C groups are characterised which have the group of units U(KG) solvable for certain fields K.This work has been supported by N.R.C. Grant No. A-5300.