Rota–Baxter algebras and left weak composition quasi-symmetric functions

Motivated by a question of Rota, this paper studies the relationship between Rota–Baxter algebras and symmetric-related functions. The starting point is the fact that the space of quasi-symmetric functions is spanned by monomial quasi-symmetric functions which are indexed by compositions. When composition is replaced by left weak composition (LWC), we obtain the concept of LWC monomial quasi-symmetric functions and the resulting space of LWC quasi-symmetric functions. In line with the question of Rota, the latter is shown to be isomorphic to the free commutative nonunitary Rota–Baxter algebra on one generator. The combinatorial interpretation of quasi-symmetric functions by P-partitions from compositions is extended to the context of left weak compositions, leading to the concept of LWC fundamental quasi-symmetric functions. The transformation formulas for LWC monomial and LWC fundamental quasi-symmetric functions are obtained, generalizing the corresponding results for quasi-symmetric functions. Extending the close relationship between quasi-symmetric functions and multiple zeta values, weighted multiple zeta values, and a q-analog of multiple zeta values are investigated, and a decomposition formula is established.