Fitting subgroup ($F(G)$)

The largest nilpotent normal subgroup of a finite group $G$. If $O_p(G)$ denotes its p-core, distinct p-cores commute, and $F(G)={\prod }_p{O}_p(G)$. Every normal nilpotent group has Sylow subgroups which are characteristic subgroups, so it is contained in this product.

In a finite soluble group, $C_G(F(G))\le F(G)$. Put $C=C_G(F)$ and $D=C\cap F=Z(F)$. If $C>D$, choose an elementary abelian minimal normal subgroup of $G/D$ inside $C/D$, and let $K$ be its preimage. Then $K^{\prime }\le D\le Z(K)$, so $K$ is a nilpotent normal subgroup, contradicting $K\nleqq F$.

For a finite group, $F(G)$ centralizes its group socle. A nonabelian minimal normal subgroup meets $F(G)$ trivially: otherwise it is nilpotent, and its nontrivial characteristic center makes it abelian. Their group commutators therefore vanish. An abelian minimal normal subgroup $M$ is an elementary abelian p-group; $M\le O_p(G)$ and $M\cap Z(O_p(G))\ne 1$ by the fixed-point counting of a finite p-group on $M$. Minimal normality makes $M\le Z(O_p(G))$, and other p-cores commute with $M$.

A normal subgroup which is a nilpotent group. In a finite group its unique Sylow subgroups are characteristic subgroups and hence normal in the ambient group. Products of nilpotent normal subgroups are nilpotent groups: their normal Sylow subgroups of different prime characteristics commute.

The largest normal p-subgroup of a finite group. Products of normal p-subgroups are again normal p-subgroups, since $|AB|=|A||B|/|A\cap B|$. Thus the subgroup generated by all such subgroups is itself a p-subgroup. It is a characteristic subgroup.