Segment Information (Schedule of Business Segments) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended				9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016		Sep. 30, 2015		Sep. 30, 2016		Sep. 30, 2015		Dec. 31, 2015
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	$ 1,323		$ 1,413		$ 4,078		$ 4,340
Other (charges) gains, net (Note 12)	(3)		(4)		(12)		(19)
Operating profit (loss)	246		186		776		631
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates	41		50		114		138
Depreciation and amortization	72		80		218		252
Capital expenditures	60	[1]	97	[1]	174	[2]	396	[2]
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	831				831				$ 830
Total assets	8,757				8,757				8,586
Increase (decrease) in accrued capital expenditures	2		(7)		(12)		(35)
Operating Segments [Member] | Advanced Engineered Materials [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	365		326		1,080		1,015
Other (charges) gains, net (Note 12)	0		(2)		(2)		(6)
Operating profit (loss)	93		58		263		184
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates	33		43		91		117
Depreciation and amortization	22		26		71		75
Capital expenditures	14		17		52		50
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	340				340				338
Total assets	2,476				2,476				2,324
Operating Segments [Member] | Consumer Specialties [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	225		247		704		723
Other (charges) gains, net (Note 12)	(1)		0		(1)		(1)
Operating profit (loss)	68		77		226		216
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates	1		1		2		2
Depreciation and amortization	12		15		34		38
Capital expenditures	11		13		29		50
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	250				250				249
Total assets	1,475				1,475				1,458
Operating Segments [Member] | Industrial Specialties [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	245	[3]	274	[3]	760	[4]	843	[4]
Other (charges) gains, net (Note 12)	0		0		(3)		(2)
Operating profit (loss)	25		19		85		76
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates	0		0		0		0
Depreciation and amortization	9		20		25		39	[5]
Capital expenditures	15		13		45		32
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	47				47				49
Total assets	790				790				747
Operating Segments [Member] | Acetyl Intermediates [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	589	[3]	680	[3]	1,844	[4]	2,100	[4]
Other (charges) gains, net (Note 12)	(1)		0		(2)		(2)
Operating profit (loss)	83		54		274		239
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates	1		2		4		4
Depreciation and amortization	27		17		81		93	[5]
Capital expenditures	17		52		40		260
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	194				194				194
Total assets	2,431				2,431				2,387
Corporate, Non-Segment [Member] | Other Activities [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	0		0		0		0
Other (charges) gains, net (Note 12)	(1)		(2)		(4)		(8)
Operating profit (loss)	(23)		(22)		(73)		(84)
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates	6		4		17		15
Depreciation and amortization	2		2		7		7
Capital expenditures	3		2		8		4
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	0				0				0
Total assets	1,585				1,585				1,670
Eliminations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	(101)		(114)		(310)		(341)
Other (charges) gains, net (Note 12)	0		0		0		0
Operating profit (loss)	0		0		1		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] | Industrial Specialties [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	1		0		2		0
Eliminations [Member] | Acetyl Intermediates [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	$ 100		$ 114		$ 308		$ 341

[1] Includes an increase in accrued capital expenditures of $2 million and a decrease of $7 million for the three months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, respectively.

[2] Includes a decrease in accrued capital expenditures of $12 million and $35 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, respectively.

[3] Net sales for Acetyl Intermediates and Industrial Specialties include intersegment sales of $100 million and $1 million, respectively, for the three months ended September 30, 2016 and $114 million and $0 million, respectively, for the three months ended September 30, 2015.

[4] Net sales for Acetyl Intermediates and Industrial Specialties include intersegment sales of $308 million and $2 million, respectively, for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 and $341 million and $0 million, respectively, for the nine months ended September 30, 2015.

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