Segment Information (Schedule of Business Segments) (Details) (USD $) In Millions	3 Months Ended					9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2011		Sep. 30, 2010		Mar. 31, 2010	Sep. 30, 2011		Sep. 30, 2010		Dec. 31, 2010
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	$ 1,807		$ 1,506			$ 5,149		$ 4,411
Other (charges) gains, net	(24)		36			(39)		(47)
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates	57		37			146		131
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations before tax	201		191			661		408
Depreciation and amortization	77		66			221		219
Capital expenditures	99	[1]	59	[1]		239	[2]	122	[2]
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	993					993				1,026
Total assets	8,711					8,711				8,281
Increase (decrease) in accrued capital expenditures	9		15			(2)		0
Accelerated amortization					22
Advanced Engineered Materials [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	332		271			1,006		835
Other (charges) gains, net	(13)		19			(42)		21
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates	52		31			125		114
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations before tax	67		93			206		264
Depreciation and amortization	27		19			68		57	[3]
Capital expenditures	13		14			50		27
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	405					405				423
Total assets	2,901					2,901				2,765
Accelerated amortization					2			2
Consumer Specialties [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	298	[4]	288	[4]		855	[5]	817	[5]
Other (charges) gains, net	2		1			(2)		(73)
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates	1		0			2		1
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations before tax	66		72			248		179
Depreciation and amortization	9		9			34		29
Capital expenditures	24		15			59		30
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	282					282				284
Total assets	1,149					1,149				998
Inter-segment sales	1		3			3		8
Industrial Specialties [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	332		276			951		787
Other (charges) gains, net	0		25			0		25
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates	0		0			0		0
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations before tax	31		50			84		78
Depreciation and amortization	12		11			34		31
Capital expenditures	20		14			44		32
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	57					57				55
Total assets	934					934				841
Acetyl Intermediates [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	975	[4]	777	[4]		2,702	[5]	2,283	[5]
Other (charges) gains, net	(5)		(1)			15		(9)
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates	1		2			4		4
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations before tax	131		85			399		156
Depreciation and amortization	25		23			75		92	[3]
Capital expenditures	39		11			79		25
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	249					249				264
Total assets	2,104					2,104				1,909
Inter-segment sales	129		103			363		304
Accelerated amortization					20			20
Other Activities [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	0		0			1		1
Other (charges) gains, net	(8)		(8)			(10)		(11)
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates	3		4			15		12
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations before tax	(94)		(109)			(276)		(269)
Depreciation and amortization	4		4			10		10
Capital expenditures	3		5			7		8
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	0					0				0
Total assets	1,623					1,623				1,768
Intersegment Eliminations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	(130)		(106)			(366)		(312)
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 $9 million and an increase of $15 million for the three months ended September 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 $2 million and $0 million for the nine months ended September 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 $129 million and $1 million, respectively, for the three months ended September 30, 2011 and $103 million and $3 million, respectively, for the three months ended September 30, 2010.

[5] Net sales for Acetyl Intermediates and Consumer Specialties include inter-segment sales of $363 million and $3 million, respectively, for the nine months ended September 30, 2011 and $304 million and $8 million, respectively, for the nine months ended September 30, 2010.