The inequality holds for n=2,3,4,5,7,9 and does not hold for n=1,6,8,10,11,12. Assume in the rest that n≥13. By definition of κ(n), there exists exactly n−1−κ(n) prime numbers not greater than n; these are the primes dividing lcm(1,2,…,n). We have n−1−κ(n)≥6 as n≥13. Let q1,…,qn−1−κ(n) be all prime powers in the canonical representation of lcm(1,2,…,n). W.l.o.g., q1>q2>⋯>qn−1−κ(n). As at least 5 numbers among q1,…,q6 are odd, in the case of odd n we have q1q2q3q4q5q6≤n(n−1)(n−2)(n−4)(n−6)(n−8) and in the case of even n similarly q1q2q3q4q5q6≤n(n−1)(n−3)(n−5)(n−7)(n−9). But since (n−3)(n−5)(n−7)(n−9)<(n−2)(n−4)(n−6)(n−8) and n(n−8)<(n−3)(n−5), we anyway obtain
q1q2q3q4q5q6<(n−1)(n−2)(n−3)(n−4)(n−5)(n−6)=(n−7)!(n−1)!
As q6<n−6, the inequality qi<n−i holds for every i>6, whence
q7⋯qn−1−κ(n)≤(n−7)⋯(κ(n)+1)=(κ(n))!(n−7)!
Consequently, lcm(1,2,…,n)=q1q2⋯qn−1−κ(n)<(κ(n))!(n−1)!, contradicting the original inequality. Hence the inequality holds for n=2,3,4,5,7,9 only.