Segment Information (Schedule of Business Segments) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended				9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012		Sep. 30, 2011		Sep. 30, 2012		Sep. 30, 2011		Dec. 31, 2011
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	$ 1,609		$ 1,807		$ 4,917		$ 5,149
Other (charges) gains, net	2		(24)		(1)		(39)
Operating profit (loss)	163		196		425		593
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates	50		57		163		146
Depreciation and amortization	78		77		227		221
Capital expenditures	83	[1]	99	[1]	236	[2]	239	[2]
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	942				942				957
Total assets	8,965				8,965				8,518
Increase (decrease) in accrued capital expenditures	(4)		9		(34)		(2)
Advanced Engineered Materials [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	322		332		962		1,006
Other (charges) gains, net	1		(13)		(1)		(42)
Operating profit (loss)	43		14		85		79
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates	45		52		143		125
Depreciation and amortization	29		27		84		68
Capital expenditures	11		13		28		50
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	374				374				391
Total assets	2,728				2,728				2,787
Consumer Specialties [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	314	[3]	298	[3]	905	[4]	855	[4]
Other (charges) gains, net	(1)		2		2		(2)
Operating profit (loss)	70		66		184		168
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates	0		1		2		2
Depreciation and amortization	13		9		33		34
Capital expenditures	14		24		48		59
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	275				275				277
Total assets	1,302				1,302				1,154
Inter-segment sales	0		1		3		3
Industrial Specialties [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	297		332		933		951
Other (charges) gains, net	0		0		0		0
Operating profit (loss)	23		30		76		83
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates	0		0		0		0
Depreciation and amortization	13		12		41		34
Capital expenditures	9		20		25		44
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	67				67				54
Total assets	994				994				901
Acetyl Intermediates [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	785	[3]	975	[3]	2,458	[4]	2,702	[4]
Other (charges) gains, net	1		(5)		2		15
Operating profit (loss)	62		128		199		392
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates	0		1		3		4
Depreciation and amortization	20		25		59		75
Capital expenditures	47		39		122		79
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	226				226				235
Total assets	2,171				2,171				2,035
Inter-segment sales	109		129		338		363
Other Activities [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	0		0		0		1
Other (charges) gains, net	1		(8)		(4)		(10)
Operating profit (loss)	(35)		(42)		(119)		(129)
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates	5		3		15		15
Depreciation and amortization	3		4		10		10
Capital expenditures	2		3		13		7
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	0				0				0
Total assets	1,770				1,770				1,641
Intersegment Eliminations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	(109)		(130)		(341)		(366)
Other (charges) gains, net	0		0		0		0
Operating profit (loss)	0		0		0		0
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates	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 POM operations in Germany (Note 20) and includes a decrease in accrued capital expenditures of $4 million and an increase of $9 million for the three months ended September 30, 2012 and 2011, respectively.

[2] Excludes expenditures related to the relocation of the Company’s POM operations in Germany (Note 20) and includes a decrease in accrued capital expenditures of $34 million and $2 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2012 and 2011, respectively.

[3] Net sales for Acetyl Intermediates and Consumer Specialties include inter-segment sales of $109 million and $0 million, respectively, for the three months ended September 30, 2012 and $129 million and $1 million, respectively, for the three months ended September 30, 2011.

[4] Net sales for Acetyl Intermediates and Consumer Specialties include inter-segment sales of $338 million and $3 million, respectively, for the nine months ended September 30, 2012 and $363 million and $3 million, respectively, for the nine months ended September 30, 2011.