Segment Information (Schedule of Business Segments) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended				9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014		Sep. 30, 2013		Sep. 30, 2014		Sep. 30, 2013		Dec. 31, 2013
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	$ 1,769		$ 1,636		$ 5,243		$ 4,894
Other (charges) gains, net	20		(4)		21		(11)
Operating profit (loss)	310		211		812		564
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates	52		41		193		150
Depreciation and amortization	73		76		220		227
Capital expenditures	203	[1]	102	[2]	452	[3]	252	[4]
Goodwill and intangibles, net	887				887				940
Total assets	9,710				9,710				9,018
Increase (decrease) in accrued capital expenditures	12		(8)		(12)		(7)
Operating Segments [Member] | Advanced Engineered Materials [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	366		346		1,128		1,027
Other (charges) gains, net	0		(2)		(1)		(6)
Operating profit (loss)	51		48		164		123
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates	43		30		121		115
Depreciation and amortization	27		27		80		83
Capital expenditures	23		14		43		35
Goodwill and intangibles, net	350				350				368
Total assets	2,544				2,544				2,643
Operating Segments [Member] | Consumer Specialties [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	291	[5]	310	[5]	882	[6]	919	[6]
Other (charges) gains, net	16		0		16		0
Operating profit (loss)	105		85		284		246
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates	0		0		8		3
Depreciation and amortization	11		10		32		30
Capital expenditures	22		33		72		76
Goodwill and intangibles, net	266				266				278
Total assets	1,498				1,498				1,478
Operating Segments [Member] | Industrial Specialties [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	314		299		959		882
Other (charges) gains, net	(1)		(1)		(1)		(3)
Operating profit (loss)	16		24		60		57
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates	0		0		0		0
Depreciation and amortization	12		13		38		37
Capital expenditures	7		8		17		19
Goodwill and intangibles, net	54				54				60
Total assets	951				951				1,002
Operating Segments [Member] | Acetyl Intermediates [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	937	[5]	795	[5]	2,679	[6]	2,412	[6]
Other (charges) gains, net	5		(1)		7		(2)
Operating profit (loss)	174		67		413		197
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates	2		3		17		7
Depreciation and amortization	21		22		61		65
Capital expenditures	150		45		316		116
Goodwill and intangibles, net	217				217				234
Total assets	2,488				2,488				2,333
Corporate, Non-Segment [Member] | Other Activities [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	0		0		0		0
Other (charges) gains, net	0		0		0		0
Operating profit (loss)	(36)		(13)		(109)		(59)
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates	7		8		47		25
Depreciation and amortization	2		4		9		12
Capital expenditures	1		2		4		6
Goodwill and intangibles, net	0				0				0
Total assets	2,229				2,229				1,562
Eliminations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	(139)		(114)		(405)		(346)
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 intangibles, net	0				0				0
Total assets	0				0				0
Eliminations [Member] | Consumer Specialties [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	2		0		2		4
Eliminations [Member] | Acetyl Intermediates [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	$ 137		$ 114		$ 403		$ 342

[1] Includes an increase in accrued capital expenditures of $12 million for the three months ended September 30, 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 $8 million for the three months ended September 30, 2013.

[3] Includes a decrease in accrued capital expenditures of $12 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2014.

[4] Excludes expenditures related to the relocation of the Company's POM operations in Germany and includes a decrease in accrued capital expenditures of $7 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2013.

[5] Net sales for Acetyl Intermediates and Consumer Specialties include intersegment sales of $137 million and $2 million, respectively, for the three months ended September 30, 2014 and $114 million and $0 million, respectively, for the three months ended September 30, 2013.

[6] Net sales for Acetyl Intermediates and Consumer Specialties include intersegment sales of $403 million and $2 million, respectively, for the nine months ended September 30, 2014 and $342 million and $4 million, respectively, for the nine months ended September 30, 2013.