Synthesis, thermal and optical characterization of 4,4ʹ-[(1,4-phenylene)-4,4′-[(1,4-phenylene)-bis-2,6-dicoumarinyl] pyridine derivatives

•Designed and synthesized under conventional condition with excellent purity and yield.•Thermal stability of all the synthesized compounds were determined and molecules are stable up to 269–319 °C.•Optical properties were studied by UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy. Optical band gaps of the tricoumarin-pyridines were found to be 2.68–2.82 eV as calculated from their onset absorption edge.•Optoelectronic studies indicate the synthesized materials to be promising candidates in organic electronic applications.