Cellulose ester and molded article thereof

A cellulose ester represented by a structural formula of the following general formula (II), wherein:

• a degree of substitution where X is an acyl group is from 2.2 to 2.9;
• the acyl group comprises a benzoyl group (A) optionally having a substituent, and an acyl group (B) containing a carboxyl group or a salt of a carboxyl group;
• a degree of substitution of the benzoyl group (A) optionally having a substituent is from 2.15 to 2.85, and a degree of substitution of the acyl group (B) containing a carboxyl group or a salt of a carboxyl group is from 0.05 to 0.6;
• and
• a degree of substitution equivalent to a hydroxyl group where X is a hydrogen atom is from 0.1 to 0.8,
• wherein some of X represents an acyl group;
• the remainder represents a hydrogen atom;
• and n represents an integer of from 20 to 20,000.