The synthesis of the nonylphenol poly(ethylene carbonate) surfactants derived from nonylphenol (NP), carbon dioxide and ethylene oxide (EO) were carried out with high yields in the presence of alkali metal salts (K2CO3, Na2CO3, K2SnO3and zinc glutamate) as base catalysts. The synthesis reactions were carried out in a stainless-steel reactor in the temperature range of 150-200°C under an initial pressure of 800 psi, with an initial molar ratio of CO2/EO = 0·21, catalyst concentration of 1 × 103M for a 24 h-period. The surfactants were characterized by FT-IR and by H-NMR. The percentages of carbon dioxide incorporation were between 7 and 16% indicating that the activation of CO2is a rather difficult process under the catalytic conditions used L175-200 °C and 800 psi of final pressure)