Revenue Recognition - Disaggregation of net sales (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions		3 Months Ended
		Mar. 31, 2018	Mar. 31, 2017
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Net sales		$ 1,851	$ 1,471
Engineered Materials [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Net sales		665
Acetate Tow [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Net sales		168
Industrial Specialties [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Net sales	[1]	272
Acetyl Intermediates [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Net sales	[2]	746
Intersegment Eliminations [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Net sales		(127)	(98)
Intersegment Eliminations [Member] | Industrial Specialties [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Net sales		2	1
Intersegment Eliminations [Member] | Acetyl Intermediates [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Net sales		125	$ 97
North America [Member] | Engineered Materials [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Total net sales		179
North America [Member] | Acetate Tow [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Total net sales		35
North America [Member] | Industrial Specialties [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Total net sales		88
North America [Member] | Acetyl Intermediates [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Total net sales		202
Europe And Africa [Member] | Engineered Materials [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Total net sales		337
Europe And Africa [Member] | Acetate Tow [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Total net sales		70
Europe And Africa [Member] | Industrial Specialties [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Total net sales		136
Europe And Africa [Member] | Acetyl Intermediates [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Total net sales		181
Asia Pacific [Member] | Engineered Materials [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Total net sales		132
Asia Pacific [Member] | Acetate Tow [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Total net sales		51
Asia Pacific [Member] | Industrial Specialties [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Total net sales		44
Asia Pacific [Member] | Acetyl Intermediates [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Total net sales		334
South America [Member] | Engineered Materials [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Total net sales		17
South America [Member] | Acetate Tow [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Total net sales		12
South America [Member] | Industrial Specialties [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Total net sales		4
South America [Member] | Acetyl Intermediates [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Total net sales		$ 29

[1] Includes intersegment sales of $2 million and $1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively.

[2] Excludes intersegment sales of $125 million for the three months ended March 31, 2018.