Segment Information (Schedule of Business Segments) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014		Mar. 31, 2013		Dec. 31, 2013
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	$ 1,705		$ 1,605
Other (charges) gains, net	(1)		(4)
Operating profit (loss)	243		184
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates	40		54
Depreciation and amortization	75		76
Capital expenditures	118	[1]	57	[2]
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	943				940
Total assets	9,129				9,018
Increase (decrease) in accrued capital expenditures	(30)		(17)
Operating Segments [Member] | Advanced Engineered Materials [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	373		329
Other (charges) gains, net	0		(2)
Operating profit (loss)	57		36
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates	33		40
Depreciation and amortization	26		29
Capital expenditures	9		8
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	367				368
Total assets	2,684				2,643
Operating Segments [Member] | Consumer Specialties [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	302	[3]	295	[3]
Other (charges) gains, net	0		0
Operating profit (loss)	99		78
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates	1		2
Depreciation and amortization	11		10
Capital expenditures	28		14
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	277				278
Total assets	1,515				1,478
Operating Segments [Member] | Industrial Specialties [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	312		288
Other (charges) gains, net	0		(1)
Operating profit (loss)	20		15
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates	0		0
Depreciation and amortization	14		12
Capital expenditures	4		5
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	59				60
Total assets	973				1,002
Operating Segments [Member] | Acetyl Intermediates [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	841	[3]	808	[3]
Other (charges) gains, net	0		(1)
Operating profit (loss)	97		75
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates	1		3
Depreciation and amortization	21		21
Capital expenditures	76		29
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	240				234
Total assets	2,390				2,333
Corporate, Non-Segment [Member] | Other Activities [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	0		0
Other (charges) gains, net	(1)		0
Operating profit (loss)	(30)		(20)
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates	5		9
Depreciation and amortization	3		4
Capital expenditures	1		1
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	0				0
Total assets	1,567				1,562
Eliminations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	(123)		(115)
Other (charges) gains, net	0		0
Operating profit (loss)	0		0
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates	0		0
Depreciation and amortization	0		0
Capital expenditures	0		0
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	0				0
Total assets	0				0
Eliminations [Member] | Consumer Specialties [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	0		3
Eliminations [Member] | Acetyl Intermediates [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	$ 123		$ 112

[1] Includes a decrease in accrued capital expenditures of $30 million for the three months ended March 31, 2014.

[2] Excludes expenditures related to the relocation of the Company’s POM operations in Germany and includes a decrease in accrued capital expenditures of $17 million for the three months ended March 31, 2013.

[3] Net sales for Acetyl Intermediates and Consumer Specialties include inter-segment sales of $123 million and $0 million, respectively, for the three months ended March 31, 2014 and $112 million and $3 million, respectively, for the three months ended March 31, 2013.