Segment Information (Schedule of Business Segments) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions		12 Months Ended
		Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales		$ 6,140	$ 5,389	$ 5,674
Other (charges) gains, net		(60)	(11)	(351)
Operating profit (loss)		901	893	326
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates		183	155	181
Depreciation and amortization		305	290	357
Capital expenditures	[1]	281	247	483
Goodwill and intangible assets, net		1,304	990
Total assets		9,538	8,357
Increase (decrease) in accrued capital expenditures		14	1	(37)
Operating Segments [Member] | Advanced Engineered Materials [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales		2,096	1,444	1,326
Other (charges) gains, net		(2)	(2)	(7)
Operating profit (loss)		383	350	235
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates		168	122	150
Depreciation and amortization		108	92	99
Capital expenditures		75	73	73
Goodwill and intangible assets, net		798	517
Total assets		3,672	2,792
Operating Segments [Member] | Consumer Specialties [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	[2]	785	929	969
Other (charges) gains, net		(2)	(2)	(25)
Operating profit (loss)		218	302	262
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates		3	3	2
Depreciation and amortization		44	45	60
Capital expenditures		42	38	65
Goodwill and intangible assets, net		258	244
Total assets		1,357	1,324
Operating Segments [Member] | Industrial Specialties [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	[3]	1,023	979	1,082
Other (charges) gains, net		0	(3)	(10)
Operating profit (loss)		87	105	72
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates		0	0	0
Depreciation and amortization		38	34	64
Capital expenditures		30	57	56
Goodwill and intangible assets, net		46	46
Total assets		861	758
Operating Segments [Member] | Acetyl Intermediates [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	[4]	2,669	2,441	2,744
Other (charges) gains, net		(52)	(3)	(300)
Operating profit (loss)		424	340	(3)
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates		6	6	6
Depreciation and amortization		105	107	123
Capital expenditures		120	67	282
Goodwill and intangible assets, net		202	183
Total assets		2,657	2,440
Corporate, Non-Segment [Member] | Other Activities [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales		0	0	0
Other (charges) gains, net		(4)	(1)	(9)
Operating profit (loss)		(211)	(205)	(240)
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates		6	24	23
Depreciation and amortization		10	12	11
Capital expenditures		14	12	7
Goodwill and intangible assets, net		0	0
Total assets		991	1,043
Intersegment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales		(433)	(404)	(447)
Other (charges) gains, net		0	0	0
Operating profit (loss)		0	1	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		2	0	0
Intersegment [Member] | Industrial Specialties [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales		4	3	0
Intersegment [Member] | Acetyl Intermediates [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales		$ 427	$ 401	$ 447

[1] Includes an increase in accrued capital expenditures of $14 million, an increase of $1 million and a decrease of $37 million for the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively.

[2] Includes intersegment sales of $2 million, $0 million and $0 million for the year ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively.

[3] Includes intersegment sales of $4 million, $3 million and $0 million for the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively.

[4] Includes intersegment sales of $427 million, $401 million and $447 million for the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively.