On complete intersection toric ideals of graphs

Abstract

We study the graphs G for which their toric ideals I G are complete intersections. In particular, we prove that for a connected graph G such that I G is a complete intersection all of its blocks are bipartite except for at most two. We prove that toric ideals of graphs which are complete intersections are circuit ideals. In this case, the generators of the toric ideal correspond to even cycles of G except of at most one generator, which corresponds to two edge disjoint odd cycles joint at a vertex or with a path. We prove that the blocks of these graphs satisfy the odd cycle condition. Finally, we characterize all complete intersection toric ideals of graphs which are normal. © 2012 Springer Science+Business Media New York.