Pincer-like pyrazole- and imidazole-pyridinyl compounds: Synthesis, characterisation, crystallographic and computational investigation

•Several new bis(pyrazole)pyridinyl compounds and one new bis(imidazole)pyridinyl compound is synthesized and fully characterized.•For the first time a single crystal X-ray structure of one of these compounds is obtained and discussed.•A comprehensive DFT study related to stability and to the crystal structure is carried out and complements all the results which have been obtained.