Segment Information (Schedule of Business Segments) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions		12 Months Ended
		Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales		$ 5,389	$ 5,674	$ 6,802
Other (charges) gains, net		(11)	(351)	15
Operating profit (loss)		893	326	758
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates		155	181	246
Depreciation and amortization		290	357	292
Capital expenditures	[1]	247	483	681
Goodwill and intangible assets, net		990	830
Total assets		8,357	8,586
Increase (decrease) in accrued capital expenditures		1	(37)	3
Operating Segments [Member] | Advanced Engineered Materials [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales		1,444	1,326	1,459
Other (charges) gains, net		(2)	(7)	(1)
Operating profit (loss)		350	235	221
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates		122	150	161
Depreciation and amortization		92	99	106
Capital expenditures		73	73	65
Goodwill and intangible assets, net		517	338
Total assets		2,792	2,324
Operating Segments [Member] | Consumer Specialties [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	[2]	929	969	1,160
Other (charges) gains, net		(2)	(25)	16
Operating profit (loss)		302	262	388
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates		3	2	9
Depreciation and amortization		45	60	43
Capital expenditures		38	65	103
Goodwill and intangible assets, net		244	249
Total assets		1,324	1,458
Operating Segments [Member] | Industrial Specialties [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	[3]	979	1,082	1,224
Other (charges) gains, net		(3)	(10)	(1)
Operating profit (loss)		105	72	76
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates		0	0	0
Depreciation and amortization		34	64	50
Capital expenditures		57	56	29
Goodwill and intangible assets, net		46	49
Total assets		758	747
Operating Segments [Member] | Acetyl Intermediates [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	[4]	2,441	2,744	3,493
Other (charges) gains, net		(3)	(300)	(3)
Operating profit (loss)		340	(3)	558
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates		6	6	20
Depreciation and amortization		107	123	81
Capital expenditures		67	282	478
Goodwill and intangible assets, net		183	194
Total assets		2,440	2,387
Corporate, Non-Segment [Member] | Other Activities [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales		0	0	0
Other (charges) gains, net		(1)	(9)	4
Operating profit (loss)		(205)	(240)	(485)
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates		24	23	56
Depreciation and amortization		12	11	12
Capital expenditures		12	7	6
Goodwill and intangible assets, net		0	0
Total assets		1,043	1,670
Intersegment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales		(404)	(447)	(534)
Other (charges) gains, net		0	0	0
Operating profit (loss)		1	0	0
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates		0	0	0
Depreciation and amortization		0	0	0
Capital expenditures		0	0	0
Goodwill and intangible assets, net		0	0
Total assets		0	0
Intersegment [Member] | Consumer Specialties [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales		0	0	2
Intersegment [Member] | Industrial Specialties [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales		3	0	0
Intersegment [Member] | Acetyl Intermediates [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales		$ 401	$ 447	$ 532

[1] Includes an increase in accrued capital expenditures of $1 million, a decrease of $37 million and an increase of $3 million for the years ended December 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively.

[2] Includes intersegment sales of $0 million, $0 million and $2 million for the years ended December 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively.

[3] Includes intersegment sales of $3 million, $0 million and $0 million for the years ended December 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively.

[4] Includes intersegment sales of $401 million, $447 million and $532 million for the years ended December 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively.