Looking for a proof of an interesting combinatorial identity

combinatoricsgamma function

Trying to generalize a combinatorial identity I have ended up with the following expression:
$$
\sum_{\{k\}_L}\binom\nu K K!\prod_l \frac1{k_l!}\binom \mu l^{k_l}=\binom{\nu\mu}L,\tag1
$$

where the sum runs over all sets $\{k\}_L$ of integer numbers $k_l$ $(l\ge1)$ satisfying
$$k_l\ge0,\;\sum_{l\ge1} lk_l=L,\tag2$$
and $K$ is alias for $\sum_l k_l$.

The expression was derived by a combinatorial argument for positive integer $\nu,\mu$. However by numerical evidence it seems to be valid for arbitrary complex numbers as well (with $\Gamma$-function used in place of factorials).

Is the expression $(1)$ known? How can it be algebraically proved for general complex $\nu,\mu$?

Best Answer

As you said in the comment, you are only trying to replace $\nu$ and $\mu$ (but not $L$) by complex numbers. You do not need the $\Gamma$-function for that; a binomial coefficient of the form $\dbinom{x}{k}$ is defined in the usual way (namely, as $\dfrac{x\left(x-1\right)\cdots\left(x-k+1\right)}{k!}$) whenever $x$ is a complex number and $k$ is a nonnegative integer. (The $\Gamma$-function only becomes necessary if you want to extend it nontrivially to non-integer values of $k$; even then, it is not clear whether such an extension is the most useful one.)

Furthermore, your identity (1) is an equality between two polynomials in $\nu$ and $\mu$ (when $L$ is held constant). The "polynomial identity trick" says that if such an equality holds whenever $\nu$ and $\mu$ are nonnegative integers, then it must also hold for arbitrary complex numbers $\nu$ and $\mu$. Since you (presumably) have a proof of (1) in the case whenever $\nu$ and $\mu$ are nonnegative integers, you thus automatically obtain a proof of (1) for arbitrary complex numbers $\nu$ and $\mu$. No further argument is required (though, of course, you can choose to come up with a different proof).