Ultrafast (<10−11s) physical processes play a pivotal role in radiation-induced chemical reactions. Due to the lack of subpicosecond pulse radiolysis tools knowledge of these events is lacking. We describe the development of laser-based techniques that are designed to provide a source of femtosecond electron and X-ray pulses for chemical physics research. Terawatt laser systems have succeeded in relativistically accelerating subpicosecond electron bunches to energies greater than 5MeV. The electron pulses generated this way are suitable for pulse radiolysis.