EXHIBIT 99




                            [Solutia Letterhead]                        NEWS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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REORGANIZATION INFORMATION LINE:  (800) 298-2303         MEDIA: Glenn Ruskin (314) 674-4078
REORGANIZATION WEBSITE: www.solutia.com/reorganization   EQUITY INVESTORS: Marleen Judge (314) 674-7777
                                                         DEBT INVESTORS: Kevin Wilson (314) 674-4905


    SOLUTIA FINAL DEBTOR-IN-POSSESSION HEARING SCHEDULED FOR JAN. 16, 2004

         ST. LOUIS - JAN. 8, 2004 - Solutia Inc. (OTCPK: SOLUQ) announced
today that the U.S. Bankruptcy Court hearing on its application for approval
of final debtor-in-possession ("DIP") financing, originally scheduled for
Jan. 9, has been adjourned to 11 a.m. on Jan. 16. An order approving interim
DIP financing was entered by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court on Dec. 19, 2003.
         On Jan. 5, 2004, the Office of the U.S. Trustee announced the
selection of a Creditors' Committee for Solutia's Chapter 11 proceedings.
That Committee, upon being formed and having chosen legal and financial
advisors, requested that Solutia adjourn the hearing on final DIP financing
to give the Creditors' Committee and its advisors time to study the proposed
financing and to comment thereon. In light of Solutia's current liquidity of
approximately $170 million (of which $140 million is in the United States),
Solutia agreed to request a brief adjournment and the Court adjourned the
hearing to Jan. 16.
         As a result of the interim DIP approval, Solutia has received
expressions of interest in providing final DIP financing from a number of
financial institutions which had previously elected not to submit a
financing proposal to the Company. These expressions of interest contemplate
a financing which appears to be on more favorable terms to Solutia than that
currently proposed by the existing DIP lenders. As required by its fiduciary
duties under the Bankruptcy Code, Solutia intends to use the time leading up
to the final hearing on Jan. 16 to investigate such possibilities to
determine if there are alternative financing arrangements available on the
required timetable which are more favorable to it than the currently
proposed DIP financing with the interim DIP lenders and to then seek Court
approval on Jan. 16 of the best final DIP financing available to it.

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FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENT

         This press release contains forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks,
uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance
or achievements to be materially different from the future results,
performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking
statements. Assumptions and other important factors that could cause our
actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in our
forward-looking statements include, among other things: (i) the ability of
Solutia to develop, prosecute, confirm and consummate one or more Chapter 11
plans of reorganization; (ii) the potential adverse impact of the Chapter 11
filing on Solutia's operations, management and employees, and the risks
associated with operating businesses under Chapter 11 protection; (iii) the
ability of Solutia to comply with the terms of the DIP financing facility;
(iv) world economic conditions, competitive pressures, gain or loss of
significant customers, labor relations and disruption of operations, raw
material and energy costs, currency and interest rate fluctuations, success
in implementing pricing actions and managing spending, operating rates, cost
of debt, environmental compliance and remediation and other factors;
(v) customer response to the Chapter 11 filing; and (vi) the risk factors or
uncertainties listed from time to time in Solutia's filings with the
Securities and Exchange Commission and with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in
connection with the Company's Chapter 11 filing. Other factors and
assumptions not identified above are also relevant to the forward-looking
statements, and if they prove incorrect, could also cause actual results to
differ materially from those projected.

CORPORATE PROFILE

     Solutia (http://www.Solutia.com) uses world-class skills in applied
     chemistry to create value-added solutions for customers, whose products
     improve the lives of consumers every day. Solutia is a world leader in
     performance films for laminated safety glass and after-market
     applications; process development and scale-up services for
     pharmaceutical fine chemicals; specialties such as water treatment
     chemicals, heat transfer fluids and aviation hydraulic fluid and an
     integrated family of nylon products including high-performance polymers
     and fibers.

Solutia ... Solutions for a Better Life.

Source: Solutia Inc.
St. Louis
Date 01/08/04