Let $G$ be a finite group. What can be said if $G$ has the following Property P: $G$ has no element of order $p^2q$ for any two distinct primes $p,q$?
In particular, which finite simple groups satisfy Property P?
For instance, the alternating group $\text{Alt}_n$ has Property P if and only if $n\le 8$. The question for $\text{PSL}_2$ of finite fields seems not obvious.
As a side remark, a result of Malle, Moreto and Navarro states the following:
Suppose that $p$ and $q$ are distinct primes. If $G$ does not have any elements of order $pq$, then one of the following holds:
- The Sylow $p$-subgroups or the Sylow $q$-subgroups of $G$ are abelian.
- $G/O_{\{p,q\}′} (G)$ = $M$ and $\{p, q\} = \{5, 13\}$ or $\{7, 13\}$.
Here $M$ is the Monster sporadic group, and $O_{\{p,q\}′} (G)$ is the largest normal subgroup of $G$ that is divisible by neither $p$ nor $q$.