Strong optical fields induce ultrafast rearrangement of H-atoms in ethanol molecules

H-atoms in C₂H₅OH are rearranged by strong optical fields generated by intense, 100 fs long infrared laser pulses to form new bonds that lead to the H ₃ ⁺ molecular ion. This observation appears to be against the expectation that exposure of molecules to intensities of the order of 10¹⁵ W cm^?2 inevitably lead to multiple ionization of molecules followed by instantaneous Coulomb explosion into fragments. The polarization dependence of the H ₃ ⁺ signal and of the energy content of H ₃ ⁺ ions lead to believe that H-atom rear-rangement in ethanol occurs within a single 100 fs pulse.