Segment Information (Schedule of Business Segments) (Details) (USD $) In Millions	3 Months Ended				6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2011		Jun. 30, 2010		Jun. 30, 2011		Jun. 30, 2010		Dec. 31, 2010
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	$ 1,753		$ 1,517		$ 3,342		$ 2,905
Other (charges) gains, net	(18)		(6)		(15)		(83)
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates	46		45		89		94
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations before tax	280		224		460		217
Depreciation and amortization	72		64		144		153
Capital expenditures	81	[1]	40	[1]	140	[2]	63	[2]
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	1,051				1,051				1,026
Total assets	8,919				8,919				8,281
Increase (decrease) in accrued capital expenditures	7		6		(11)		(15)
Accelerated amortization					22
Advanced Engineered Materials [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	346		282		674		564
Other (charges) gains, net	(16)		(3)		(29)		2
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates	39		39		73		83
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations before tax	66		79		139		171
Depreciation and amortization	20		18		41		38	[3]
Capital expenditures	20		8		37		13
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	426				426				423
Total assets	3,035				3,035				2,765
Accelerated amortization					2		2
Consumer Specialties [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	291	[4]	291	[4]	557	[5]	529	[5]
Other (charges) gains, net	(3)		(1)		(4)		(74)
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates	0		1		1		1
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations before tax	127		137		182		107
Depreciation and amortization	13		9		25		20
Capital expenditures	22		9		35		15
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	293				293				284
Total assets	1,141				1,141				998
Inter-segment sales	1		1		2		5
Industrial Specialties [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	329		269		619		511
Other (charges) gains, net	0		0		0		0
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates	0		0		0		0
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations before tax	28		16		53		28
Depreciation and amortization	12		10		22		20
Capital expenditures	12		13		24		18
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	61				61				55
Total assets	978				978				841
Acetyl Intermediates [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	914	[4]	782	[4]	1,727	[5]	1,506	[5]
Other (charges) gains, net	2		(1)		20		(8)
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates	1		1	[5]	3		2
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations before tax	154		70		268		71
Depreciation and amortization	25		24	[3]	50		69	[3]
Capital expenditures	25		9		40		14
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	271				271				264
Total assets	2,029				2,029				1,909
Inter-segment sales	126		107		234		201
Accelerated amortization					20		20
Other Activities [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	0		1		1		1
Other (charges) gains, net	(1)		(1)		(2)		(3)
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates	6		4		12		8
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations before tax	(95)		(78)		(182)		(160)
Depreciation and amortization	2		3		6		6
Capital expenditures	2		1		4		3
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	0				0				0
Total assets	1,736				1,736				1,768
Intersegment Eliminations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	(127)		(108)		(236)		(206)
Other (charges) gains, net	0		0		0		0
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates	0		0		0		0
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations before tax	0		0		0		0
Depreciation and amortization	0		0		0		0
Capital expenditures	0		0		0		0
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	0				0				0
Total assets	$ 0				$ 0				$ 0

[1] Excludes expenditures related to the relocation of the Company's Ticona plant in Kelsterbach (Note 20) and includes an increase in accrued capital expenditures of $7 million and and an increase of $6 million for the three months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010, respectively.

[2] Excludes expenditures related to the relocation of the Company's Ticona plant in Kelsterbach (Note 20) and includes a decrease in accrued capital expenditures of $11 million and $15 million for the six months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010, respectively.

[3] Includes $2 million for Advanced Engineered Materials and $20 million for Acetyl Intermediates for the accelerated amortization of the unamortized prepayment related to a raw material purchase agreement (Note 17).

[4] Net sales for Acetyl Intermediates and Consumer Specialties include inter-segment sales of $126 million and $1 million, respectively, for the three months ended June 30, 2011 and $107 million and $1 million, respectively, for the three months ended June 30, 2010.

[5] Net sales for Acetyl Intermediates and Consumer Specialties include inter-segment sales of $234 million and $2 million, respectively, for the six months ended June 30, 2011 and $201 million and $5 million, respectively, for the six months ended June 30, 2010.