Enveloping Algebras of Derivations of Commutative and Noncommutative Algebras

Abstract Let $\Bbbk $ be a field of characteristic zero. Motivated by the fundamental question of whether it is possible for the universal enveloping algebra of an infinite-dimensional Lie algebra to be Noetherian, we study Lie algebras of derivations of associative algebras. The main result of this paper is that the universal enveloping algebra of the Lie algebra of derivations of a finitely generated $\Bbbk $-algebra is not Noetherian. This extends a result of Sierra and Walton on the Witt algebra, as well as a result of the second author on Krichever–Novikov algebras. We highlight that the result applies to derivations of both commutative and noncommutative algebras without restriction on their growth.