The silica-grafted Ta (V) imido amido complex [(:SiO) 2 Ta(NH)(NH 2 )], 2, obtained from the reaction of either ammonia or dinitrogen plus hydrogen with the silicagrafted hydrides [(:SiO) 2 Ta (III) H], 1a, and [(:SiO) 2-Ta (V) H 3 ], 1b, undergoes H/D exchange with D 2 . In situ IR spectroscopy shows that the fully labelled compound [(:SiO) 2 Ta(ND)(ND 2 )], 2-d, can be obtained by moderate heating (60°C, 3 h) under D 2 atmosphere (550 torr, 300 eq. with respect to Ta), and that the exchange is reversible. The observed stretching and bending frequencies of 2-d are in agreement with the expected isotopic shift upon H/D replacement with respect to literature values reported for 2 and have been corroborated by the independent synthesis of 2-d by reaction of deuterated 1a and 1b with N 2 and D 2 . Density functional theory (DFT) calculations, performed using a periodic or a cluster model, explored the structures and energetics of all minima involved in the reaction with H 2 and showed that among the explored pathways the energetically preferred mechanisms for H 2 reaction with [{(l-O)[(HO) 2 SiO] 2 }Ta (V) (NH) (NH 2 )], 2q, is the heterolytic cleavage of either the imido Ta=N or the amido Ta-N bonds, to yield respectively [{(l-O)[(HO) 2 SiO] 2 }TaH(NH 2 ) 2 ], 3q (DE = -9.5 kcal mol -1 and DG 298K = ?2.6 kcal mol -1 with respect to 2q) and [{(l-O)[(HO) 2 SiO] 2 }Ta(NH) (NH 3 )], 4q (DE = -6.0 kcal mol -1 and DG 298K = ?7.9 kcal mol -1 with respect to 2q). All activation barriers are moderate (between 17.7 and 30.2 kcal mol -1 ) in agreement with the observed mild heating conditions necessary for the reaction to occur.