Lie algebras admitting symmetric, invariant and nondegenerate bilinear forms

Abstract: We present structural properties of Lie algebras admitting symmetric, invariant and nondegenerate bilinear forms. We show that these properties are not satisfied by nilradicals of parabolic subalgebras of real split forms of complex simple Lie algebras, neither by 2-step nilpotent Lie algebras associated with graphs, with only few exceptions. These rare cases are, essentially, abelian Lie algebras, the free 3-step nilpotent Lie algebra on 2-generators and the free 2-step nilpotent Lie algebra on 3-generators.