[PoetryInMotion]

I am supposed to discuss the stability of the following two compounds:



At the first sight, it looks like the α-carbon in the rightmost compound has a quite many electronegative atoms surrounding it, so a first guess is that compound is less stable than the left one. What I do not know, however, is whether any of the compounds are any stable at all. Is there any way of analysing this more systematic? I suppose I am expected to offer a better explanation that in a undergraduate level course

[TwistedConf]

Have you tried a literature search?  The second one is like a mini-methionine. What about that could make you question its stability?