Hydrogen−deuterium exchange (H/D exchange) is a method commonly used for studying catalytic activation of C−H(D) bonds by transition metal complexes. In this study, a series of additives were studied for H/D exchange of toluene-d 8 with acetic acid (HOAc) using ( R PNP)Rh(X) complexes (R = phosphine substituents including cyclohexyl, isopropyl, and tert-butyl; X = trifluoroacetate or acetate) as the precatalysts. Cu(OAc) 2 and AgOAc additives were found to benefit Rh-mediated C−H(D) activation of toluene with meta−para selectivity by facilitating the conversion to active ( R PNP)Rh species and stabilizing the Rh catalysts from decomposition to inactive Rh(s). In contrast, nonoxidizing Lewis acid additives, such as B(OMe) 3 or NaOAc, were not effective at facilitating Rh-catalyzed toluene C−H activation. The complexes ( R PNP)Rh III (H)(X) 2 and [( R PNP)Rh I (CO)][X] (X = TFA or OAc) were found to be intermediates of the catalytic the H/D exchange.