Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements (Condensed Consolidating Statement of Operations) (Details) (USD $) In Millions	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2010	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2010
Net Sales	$ 543	$ 502	$ 1,052	$ 950
Cost of goods sold	373	343	720	643
Gross Profit	170	159	332	307
Selling, general and administrative expenses	60	67	122	132
Research and development expenses and other operating expense (income), net	3	3	(2)	7
Operating Income (Loss)	107	89	212	168
Equity earnings from affiliates	0	0	0	0
Interest expense	(26)	(36)	(54)	(74)
Other income (loss), net	0	10	(1)	13
Loss on debt extinguishment or modification	0	0	(2)	(89)
Income from Continuing Operations Before Income Tax Expense	81	63	155	18
Income tax expense	11	9	19	19
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations	70	54	136	(1)
Loss from Discontinued Operations, net of tax	0	(13)	0	(15)
Net Income (Loss)	70	41	136	(16)
Net Income attributable to noncontrolling interest	2	0	3	1
Net Income (loss) attributable to Solutia	68	41	133	(17)
Parent Company [Member]
Net Sales	137	123	272	235
Cost of goods sold	108	108	226	203
Gross Profit	29	15	46	32
Selling, general and administrative expenses	23	28	50	56
Research and development expenses and other operating expense (income), net	(4)	3	3	5
Operating Income (Loss)	10	(16)	(7)	(29)
Equity earnings from affiliates	69	66	167	136
Interest expense	(28)	(36)	(60)	(74)
Other income (loss), net	17	10	35	21
Loss on debt extinguishment or modification			(2)	(88)
Income from Continuing Operations Before Income Tax Expense	68	24	133	(34)
Income tax expense	0	0	0	0
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations		24	133	(34)
Loss from Discontinued Operations, net of tax		17		17
Net Income (Loss)	68	41	133	(17)
Net Income attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0	0	0
Net Income (loss) attributable to Solutia	68	41	133	(17)
Guarantors [Member]
Net Sales	120	117	227	214
Cost of goods sold	77	72	146	135
Gross Profit	43	45	81	79
Selling, general and administrative expenses	12	14	25	28
Research and development expenses and other operating expense (income), net	2	1	1	2
Operating Income (Loss)	29	30	55	49
Equity earnings from affiliates	25	28	84	67
Interest expense	(1)	0	(1)	0
Other income (loss), net	16	10	29	23
Loss on debt extinguishment or modification			0	0
Income from Continuing Operations Before Income Tax Expense	69	68	167	139
Income tax expense	0	0	0	0
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations		68	167	139
Loss from Discontinued Operations, net of tax		1		0
Net Income (Loss)	69	69	167	139
Net Income attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0	0	0
Net Income (loss) attributable to Solutia	69	69	167	139
Non-Guarantors [Member]
Net Sales	486	455	951	861
Cost of goods sold	398	357	764	671
Gross Profit	88	98	187	190
Selling, general and administrative expenses	25	25	47	48
Research and development expenses and other operating expense (income), net	5	(1)	(6)	0
Operating Income (Loss)	58	74	146	142
Equity earnings from affiliates	0	0	0	0
Interest expense	(55)	(37)	(101)	(71)
Other income (loss), net	33	34	59	55
Loss on debt extinguishment or modification			0	(1)
Income from Continuing Operations Before Income Tax Expense	36	71	104	125
Income tax expense	11	11	18	23
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations		60	86	102
Loss from Discontinued Operations, net of tax		(31)		(32)
Net Income (Loss)	25	29	86	70
Net Income attributable to noncontrolling interest	2	0	3	1
Net Income (loss) attributable to Solutia	23	29	83	69
Eliminations [Member]
Net Sales	(200)	(193)	(398)	(360)
Cost of goods sold	(210)	(194)	(416)	(366)
Gross Profit	10	1	18	6
Selling, general and administrative expenses	0	0	0	0
Research and development expenses and other operating expense (income), net	0	0	0	0
Operating Income (Loss)	10	1	18	6
Equity earnings from affiliates	(94)	(94)	(251)	(203)
Interest expense	58	37	108	71
Other income (loss), net	(66)	(44)	(124)	(86)
Loss on debt extinguishment or modification			0	0
Income from Continuing Operations Before Income Tax Expense	(92)	(100)	(249)	(212)
Income tax expense	0	(2)	1	(4)
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations		(98)	(250)	(208)
Loss from Discontinued Operations, net of tax		0		0
Net Income (Loss)	(92)	(98)	(250)	(208)
Net Income attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0	0	0
Net Income (loss) attributable to Solutia	$ (92)	$ (98)	$ (250)	$ (208)