On generalized Lie derivations

Abstract

In this paper, we investigate generalized Lie derivations. We give a complete characterization of when each generalized Lie derivation is a sum of a generalized inner derivation and a Lie derivation. This generalizes a result given by Benkovic. We also investigate when every generalized Lie derivation on some particular kind of unital algebras is a sum of a generalized derivation and a central map which vanishes on all commutators. Precisely, we consider both the unital algebras with nontrivial idempotents and the trivial extension algebras.