Benzenetribenzoate (BTB) ligand is combined with four trivalent metals, Al, Cr, Fe and Ga by solvothermal synthesis to form four different metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), abbreviated as M-BTB, where M stands for the metal. Each of the MOFs is characterized with pore texture, scanning electron microscopic images (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD). Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy (FT-IR) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Pore texture reveals the highest BET surface area belongs to Al-BTB (1045 m(2)/g) and decreases in the order of Cr > Fe > Ga. Hydrogen adsorption at 77 K and up to ambient pressure indicates that Al-BTB adsorbs highest amount of H-2 (0.98 wt.%) and decreases in the same order as the specific surface areas. High pressure H2 adsorption at room temperature (298 K) and pressure up to 80 bar reveals that Fe-BTB adsorbs highest amount of hydrogen (0.51 wt.% or 2.75 g L-1, absolute) and the adsorption amount decreases in the order of Cr > Al > Ga. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.