English

Multiple polylogarithms at non-positive indices and combinatorics of Magnus polynomials

Combinatorics 2026-01-13 v2 Number Theory

Abstract

In this paper we investigate multiple polylogarithms with non-positive multi-indices (nonpositive MPLs) from a combinatorial and algebraic viewpoint. By introducing a correspondence between non-positive multiple polylogarithms and Magnus polynomials in a free associative algebra, we obtain an explicit Magnus-type representation of products of mono-indexed non-positive MPLs. The main identity (Theorem A) expresses such a product as a single non-positive MPL indexed by a Magnus polynomial, which may be regarded as a M\"obius inversion of the expansion formula due to Duchamp-Hoang Ngoc Minh-Ngo. Moreover, we study the effects of permuted indices and show that certain differences of Magnus polynomials belong to the kernel of the linear map Li{\rm Li}^-_{\bullet} , leading to new functional equations among non-positive MPLs of the same weight and depth. These results clarify the combinatorial structure underlying non-positive MPLs and reveal a close connection with the Magnus expansion in non-commutative algebra.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2512.16195,
  title  = {Multiple polylogarithms at non-positive indices and combinatorics of Magnus polynomials},
  author = {Kohei Kitamura},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2512.16195},
  year   = {2026}
}

Comments

12 pages; (v2): typos corrected, revised Definition 5.2