Segment Information (Schedule of Business Segments) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended				9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015		Sep. 30, 2014		Sep. 30, 2015		Sep. 30, 2014		Dec. 31, 2014
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	$ 1,413		$ 1,769		$ 4,340		$ 5,243
Other (charges) gains, net (Note 12)	(4)		20		(19)		21
Operating profit (loss)	186		310		631		812
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates	50		52		138		193
Depreciation and amortization	80		73		252		220
Capital expenditures	97	[1]	203	[1]	396	[2]	452	[2]
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	838				838				$ 881
Total assets	8,908				8,908				8,818
Increase (decrease) in accrued capital expenditures	(7)		12		(35)		(12)
Operating Segments [Member] | Advanced Engineered Materials [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	326		366		1,015		1,128
Other (charges) gains, net (Note 12)	(2)		0		(6)		(1)
Operating profit (loss)	58		51		184		164
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates	43		43		117		121
Depreciation and amortization	26		27		75		80
Capital expenditures	17		23		50		43
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	343				343				358
Total assets	2,523				2,523				2,484
Operating Segments [Member] | Consumer Specialties [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	247	[3]	291	[3]	723	[4]	882	[4]
Other (charges) gains, net (Note 12)	0		16		(1)		16
Operating profit (loss)	77		105		216		284
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates	1		0		2		8
Depreciation and amortization	15		11		38		32
Capital expenditures	13		22		50		72
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	253				253				261
Total assets	1,290				1,290				1,491
Operating Segments [Member] | Industrial Specialties [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	274		314		843		959
Other (charges) gains, net (Note 12)	0		(1)		(2)		(1)
Operating profit (loss)	19		16		76		60
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates	0		0		0		0
Depreciation and amortization	20		12		39		38
Capital expenditures	13		7		32		17
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	49				49				54
Total assets	874				874				823
Operating Segments [Member] | Acetyl Intermediates [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	680	[5]	937	[5]	2,100	[6]	2,679	[6]
Other (charges) gains, net (Note 12)	0		5		(2)		7
Operating profit (loss)	54		174		239		413
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates	2		2		4		17
Depreciation and amortization	17	[1]	21		93	[7]	61
Capital expenditures	52		150		260		316
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	193				193				208
Total assets	2,658				2,658				2,495
Corporate, Non-Segment [Member] | Other Activities [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	0		0		0		0
Other (charges) gains, net (Note 12)	(2)		0		(8)		0
Operating profit (loss)	(22)		(36)		(84)		(109)
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates	4		7		15		47
Depreciation and amortization	2		2		7		9
Capital expenditures	2		1		4		4
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	0				0				0
Total assets	1,563				1,563				1,525
Eliminations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	(114)		(139)		(341)		(405)
Other (charges) gains, net (Note 12)	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
Eliminations [Member] | Consumer Specialties [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	0		2		0		2
Eliminations [Member] | Acetyl Intermediates [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	$ 114		$ 137		$ 341		$ 403

[1] Includes a decrease in accrued capital expenditures of $7 million and an increase of $12 million for the three months ended September 30, 2015 and 2014, respectively.

[2] Includes a decrease in accrued capital expenditures of $35 million and $12 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2015 and 2014, respectively.

[3] Net sales for Consumer Specialties includes intersegment sales of $0 million and $2 million for the three months ended September 30, 2015 and 2014, respectively.

[4] Net sales for Consumer Specialties includes intersegment sales of $0 million and $2 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2015 and 2014, respectively.

[5] Net sales for Acetyl Intermediates includes intersegment sales of $114 million and $137 million for the three months ended September 30, 2015 and 2014, respectively.

[6] Net sales for Acetyl Intermediates includes intersegment sales of $341 million and $403 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2015 and 2014, respectively.

[7] See Note 12 - Other (Charges) Gains, Net for further information.