Frattini subgroups and supernilpotent groups

In the context of the problem of which nonabelianp-groups can occur as normal subgroups contained in Frattini subgroups, the family of supernilpotent groups (all maximal subgroups characteristic) is investigated. Results of this investigation are applied to the Frattini-embedding problem, incorporating recent work of A. R. Makan. The groups of order 2ⁿ (n ≦ 6) have been examined with respect to supernilpotence and their occurrence as normal subgroups contained in Frattini subgroups. Results of this examination are presented.