Segment Information (Schedule of Business Segments) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended				9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013		Sep. 30, 2012		Sep. 30, 2013		Sep. 30, 2012		Dec. 31, 2012
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	$ 1,636		$ 1,609		$ 4,894		$ 4,917
Other (charges) gains, net	(4)		2		(11)		(1)
Operating profit (loss)	211		176	[1]	564		465	[1]
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates	41		50		150		163
Depreciation and amortization	76		78		227		227
Capital expenditures	102	[2]	83	[2]	252	[3]	236	[3]
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	934				934				942
Total assets	9,512				9,512				9,000
Increase (decrease) in accrued capital expenditures	(8)		(4)		(7)		(34)
Operating Segments [Member] | Advanced Engineered Materials [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	346		322		1,027		962
Other (charges) gains, net	(2)		1		(6)		(1)
Operating profit (loss)	48		44	[1]	123		91	[1]
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates	30		45		115		143
Depreciation and amortization	27		29		83		84
Capital expenditures	14		11		35		28
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	366				366				372
Total assets	2,794				2,794				2,703
Operating Segments [Member] | Consumer Specialties [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	310	[4]	314	[4]	919	[5]	905	[5]
Other (charges) gains, net	0		(1)		0		2
Operating profit (loss)	85		72	[1]	246		189	[1]
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates	0		0		3		2
Depreciation and amortization	10		13		30		33
Capital expenditures	33		14		76		48
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	276				276				276
Total assets	1,409				1,409				1,296
Operating Segments [Member] | Industrial Specialties [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	299		297		882		933
Other (charges) gains, net	(1)		0		(3)		0
Operating profit (loss)	24		25	[1]	57		80	[1]
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates	0		0		0		0
Depreciation and amortization	13		13		37		41
Capital expenditures	8		9		19		25
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	60				60				65
Total assets	1,032				1,032				963
Operating Segments [Member] | Acetyl Intermediates [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	795	[4]	785	[4]	2,412	[5]	2,458	[5]
Other (charges) gains, net	(1)		1		(2)		2
Operating profit (loss)	67		63	[1]	197		203	[1]
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates	3		0		7		3
Depreciation and amortization	22		20		65		59
Capital expenditures	45		47		116		122
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	232				232				229
Total assets	2,350				2,350				2,238
Corporate, Non-Segment [Member] | Other Activities [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	0		0		0		0
Other (charges) gains, net	0		1		0		(4)
Operating profit (loss)	(13)		(28)	[1]	(59)		(98)	[1]
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates	8		5		25		15
Depreciation and amortization	4		3		12		10
Capital expenditures	2		2		6		13
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	0				0				0
Total assets	1,927				1,927				1,800
Eliminations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	(114)		(109)		(346)		(341)
Other (charges) gains, net	0		0		0		0
Operating profit (loss)	0		0	[1]	0		0	[1]
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
Eliminations [Member] | Consumer Specialties [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	0		0		4		3
Eliminations [Member] | Acetyl Intermediates [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	$ 114		$ 109		$ 342		$ 338

[1] As Adjusted (Note 1)

[2] Excludes expenditures related to the relocation of the Company’s polyacetal ("POM") operations in Germany (Note 20) and includes a decrease in accrued capital expenditures of $8 million and $4 million for the three months ended September 30, 2013 and 2012, respectively.

[3] 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 $7 million and $34 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2013 and 2012, respectively.

[4] Net sales for Acetyl Intermediates and Consumer Specialties include inter-segment sales of $114 million and $0 million, respectively, for the three months ended September 30, 2013 and $109 million and $0 million, respectively, for the three months ended September 30, 2012.

[5] Net sales for Acetyl Intermediates and Consumer Specialties include inter-segment sales of $342 million and $4 million, respectively, for the nine months ended September 30, 2013 and $338 million and $3 million, respectively, for the nine months ended September 30, 2012.