Quantum BRST charge for quadratically nonlinear Lie algebras

We consider the construction of a nilpotent BRST charge for extensions of the Virasoro algebra of the form {T _a ,T _b }=f _ab ^c T _c +V _ab ^cd T _c T _d , (classical algebras in terms of Poisson brackets) and [T _a ,T _b ]=h _ab I+f _ab ^c T _c +V _ab ^cd (T _c T _d )(quantum algebras in terms of commutator brackets; normal ordering of the product (T _c T _d ) is understood). In both cases we assume that the set of generators {T _a } splits into a set {H _i } generating an ordinary Lie algebra and remaining generators {S }, such that only theV _ij are nonvanishing. In the classical case a nilpotent BRST charge can always be constructed; for the quantum case we derive a condition which is necessary and sufficient for the existence of a nilpotent BRST charge. Non-trivial examples are the spin-3 algebra with central chargec=100 and theso(N)-extended superconformal algebras with levelS=–2(N–3).