Other (Charges) Gains, Net (Schedule of Restructuring Reserves) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Reserve as of the end of the period	$ 44	$ 57
Total	44	57
Employee Termination Benefits
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Reserve as of the beginning of the period	53	81
Additions	21	32
Cash payments	(28)	(53)
Other changes	(3)	(1)
Exchange rate changes	(1)	(6)
Reserve as of the end of the period	42	53
Total	42	53
Plant/Office Closures
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Reserve as of the beginning of the period	4	18
Additions	0	6
Cash payments	(2)	(18)
Exchange rate changes	0	(2)
Reserve as of the end of the period	2	4
Total	2	4
Advanced Engineered Materials [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Reserve as of the end of the period	8
Total	8
Advanced Engineered Materials [Member] | Employee Termination Benefits
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Reserve as of the beginning of the period	3	7
Additions	8	2
Cash payments	(2)	(6)
Other changes	0	0
Exchange rate changes	(1)	0
Reserve as of the end of the period	8	3
Total	8	3
Advanced Engineered Materials [Member] | Plant/Office Closures
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Reserve as of the beginning of the period	0	0
Additions	0	0
Cash payments	0	0
Exchange rate changes	0	0
Reserve as of the end of the period	0	0
Total	0	0
Consumer Specialties [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Reserve as of the end of the period	18
Total	18
Consumer Specialties [Member] | Employee Termination Benefits
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Reserve as of the beginning of the period	16	4
Additions	4	17
Cash payments	(2)	(3)
Other changes	0	(1)
Exchange rate changes	0	(1)
Reserve as of the end of the period	18	16
Total	18	16
Consumer Specialties [Member] | Plant/Office Closures
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Reserve as of the beginning of the period	0	0
Additions	0	0
Cash payments	0	0
Exchange rate changes	0	0
Reserve as of the end of the period	0	0
Total	0	0
Industrial Specialties [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Reserve as of the end of the period	0
Total	0
Industrial Specialties [Member] | Employee Termination Benefits
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Reserve as of the beginning of the period	0	3
Additions	0	0
Cash payments	0	(3)
Other changes	0	0
Exchange rate changes	0	0
Reserve as of the end of the period	0	0
Total	0	0
Industrial Specialties [Member] | Plant/Office Closures
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Reserve as of the beginning of the period	0	0
Additions	0	0
Cash payments	0	0
Exchange rate changes	0	0
Reserve as of the end of the period	0	0
Total	0	0
Acetyl Intermediates [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Reserve as of the end of the period	6
Total	6
Acetyl Intermediates [Member] | Employee Termination Benefits
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Reserve as of the beginning of the period	24	60
Additions	1	6
Cash payments	(20)	(37)
Other changes	0	0
Exchange rate changes	0	(5)
Reserve as of the end of the period	5	24
Total	5	24
Acetyl Intermediates [Member] | Plant/Office Closures
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Reserve as of the beginning of the period	3	17
Additions	0	6
Cash payments	(2)	(18)
Exchange rate changes	0	(2)
Reserve as of the end of the period	1	3
Total	1	3
Other Activities [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Reserve as of the end of the period	12
Total	12
Other Activities [Member] | Employee Termination Benefits
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Reserve as of the beginning of the period	10	7
Additions	8	7
Cash payments	(4)	(4)
Other changes	(3)	0
Exchange rate changes	0	0
Reserve as of the end of the period	11	10
Total	11	10
Other Activities [Member] | Plant/Office Closures
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Reserve as of the beginning of the period	1	1
Additions	0	0
Cash payments	0	0
Exchange rate changes	0	0
Reserve as of the end of the period	1	1
Total	$ 1	$ 1