Segment Information (Schedule of Business Segments) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions		3 Months Ended
		Mar. 31, 2017	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2016
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales		$ 1,471	$ 1,404
Other (charges) gains, net (Note 13)		(55)	(5)
Operating profit (loss)		192	287
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates		47	38
Depreciation and amortization		71	73
Capital expenditures	[1]	41	58
Goodwill and intangible assets, net		992		$ 990
Total assets		8,288		8,357
Increase (decrease) in accrued capital expenditures		(21)	(12)
Operating Segments [Member] | Advanced Engineered Materials [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales		487	350
Other (charges) gains, net (Note 13)		0	(1)
Operating profit (loss)		98	88
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates		42	31
Depreciation and amortization		24	24
Capital expenditures		10	19
Goodwill and intangible assets, net		516		517
Total assets		2,803		2,792
Operating Segments [Member] | Consumer Specialties [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales		218	244
Other (charges) gains, net (Note 13)		(1)	0
Operating profit (loss)		68	78
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates		1	1
Depreciation and amortization		11	11
Capital expenditures		6	9
Goodwill and intangible assets, net		245		244
Total assets		1,300		1,324
Operating Segments [Member] | Industrial Specialties [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	[2]	245	253
Other (charges) gains, net (Note 13)		0	(1)
Operating profit (loss)		25	31
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates		0	0
Depreciation and amortization		8	8
Capital expenditures		4	18
Goodwill and intangible assets, net		46		46
Total assets		775		758
Operating Segments [Member] | Acetyl Intermediates [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	[2]	619	663
Other (charges) gains, net (Note 13)		(53)	0
Operating profit (loss)		27	114
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates		1	1
Depreciation and amortization		26	27
Capital expenditures		20	9
Goodwill and intangible assets, net		185		183
Total assets		2,576		2,440
Corporate, Non-Segment [Member] | Other Activities [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales		0	0
Other (charges) gains, net (Note 13)		(1)	(3)
Operating profit (loss)		(26)	(24)
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates		3	5
Depreciation and amortization		2	3
Capital expenditures		1	3
Goodwill and intangible assets, net		0		0
Total assets		834		1,043
Eliminations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales		(98)	(106)
Other (charges) gains, net (Note 13)		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] | Industrial Specialties [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales		1	0
Eliminations [Member] | Acetyl Intermediates [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales		$ 97	$ 106

[1] Includes a decrease in accrued capital expenditures of $21 million and $12 million for the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively.

[2] Net sales for Acetyl Intermediates and Industrial Specialties include intersegment sales of $97 million and $1 million, respectively, for the three months ended March 31, 2017 and $106 million and $0 million, respectively, for the three months ended March 31, 2016.