Segment Information (Schedule of Business Segments) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended				9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2017		Sep. 30, 2016		Sep. 30, 2017		Sep. 30, 2016		Dec. 31, 2016
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	$ 1,566		$ 1,323		$ 4,547		$ 4,078
Other (charges) gains, net (Note 14)	0		(3)		(58)		(12)
Operating profit (loss)	252		246		684		776
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates	50		41		135		114
Depreciation and amortization	80		72		226		218
Capital expenditures	74	[1]	60	[1]	173	[2]	174	[2]
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	1,298				1,298				$ 990
Total assets	9,062				9,062				8,357
Increase (decrease) in accrued capital expenditures	10		2		(7)		(12)
Operating Segments [Member] | Advanced Engineered Materials [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	543		365		1,546		1,080
Other (charges) gains, net (Note 14)	0		0		(2)		(2)
Operating profit (loss)	97		93		292		263
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates	45		33		125		91
Depreciation and amortization	29		22		79		71
Capital expenditures	18		14		41		52
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	796				796				517
Total assets	3,597				3,597				2,792
Operating Segments [Member] | Consumer Specialties [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	187		225		598		704
Other (charges) gains, net (Note 14)	0		(1)		(2)		(1)
Operating profit (loss)	53		68		170		226
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates	2		1		3		2
Depreciation and amortization	11		12		33		34
Capital expenditures	10		11		24		29
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	255				255				244
Total assets	1,318				1,318				1,324
Operating Segments [Member] | Industrial Specialties [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	264	[3]	245		771	[4]	760	[4]
Other (charges) gains, net (Note 14)	0		0		0		(3)
Operating profit (loss)	20		25		71		85
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates	0		0		0		0
Depreciation and amortization	10		9		28		25
Capital expenditures	6		15		16		45
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	47				47				46
Total assets	829				829				758
Operating Segments [Member] | Acetyl Intermediates [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	684	[3]	589		1,952	[4]	1,844	[4]
Other (charges) gains, net (Note 14)	0		(1)		(50)		(2)
Operating profit (loss)	128		83		264		274
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates	1		1		4		4
Depreciation and amortization	26		27		78		81
Capital expenditures	36		17		84		40
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	200				200				183
Total assets	2,707				2,707				2,440
Corporate, Non-Segment [Member] | Other Activities [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	0		0		0		0
Other (charges) gains, net (Note 14)	0		(1)		(4)		(4)
Operating profit (loss)	(46)		(23)		(113)		(73)
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates	2		6		3		17
Depreciation and amortization	4		2		8		7
Capital expenditures	4		3		8		8
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	0				0				0
Total assets	611				611				1,043
Eliminations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	(112)		(101)		(320)		(310)
Other (charges) gains, net (Note 14)	0		0		0		0
Operating profit (loss)	0		0		0		1
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		1		3		2
Eliminations [Member] | Acetyl Intermediates [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	$ 111		$ 100		$ 317		$ 308

[1] Includes an increase in accrued capital expenditures of $10 million and $2 million for the three months ended September 30, 2017 and 2016, respectively.

[2] Includes a decrease in accrued capital expenditures of $7 million and $12 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 and 2016, respectively.

[3] Net sales for Acetyl Intermediates and Industrial Specialties include intersegment sales of $111 million and $1 million, respectively, for the three months ended September 30, 2017 and $100 million and $1 million, respectively, for the three months ended September 30, 2016.

[4] Net sales for Acetyl Intermediates and Industrial Specialties include intersegment sales of $317 million and $3 million, respectively, for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 and $308 million and $2 million, respectively, for the nine months ended September 30, 2016.