Novel photoinitiators based on a phenazine scaffold are proposed for the ring opening polymerization of epoxy monomers as well as the free radical polymerization of (meth)acrylates. Good to excellent polymerization profiles can be obtained upon different easily accessible, energy saving and cheap LEDs (385, 395 and 405 nm) as well as a diode laser at 405 nm or halogen lamp opening new fields for polymer synthesis upon soft and convenient irradiations. These compounds can be particularly attractive as high performance photoinitiators in the 350-425 nm range. The initiation mechanisms are investigated in detail through fluorescence, cyclic voltammetry, steady state photolysis and electron spin resonance (ESR) experiments. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights resented.