  Proton migration is a ubiquitous process in chemical reactions related to
biology, combustion, and catalysis. Thus, the ability to control the movement
of nuclei with tailored light, within a hydrocarbon molecule holds promise for
far-reaching applications. Here, we demonstrate the steering of hydrogen
migration in simple hydrocarbons, namely acetylene and allene, using
waveform-controlled, few-cycle laser pulses. The rearrangement dynamics are
monitored using coincident 3D momentum imaging spectroscopy, and described with
a quantum-dynamical model. Our observations reveal that the underlying control
mechanism is due to the manipulation of the phases in a vibrational wavepacket
by the intense off-resonant laser field.
