A mechanically interlocked [2]rotaxane is reported incorporating a ditopic ligand moiety as one of the stoppers. Upon complexation with palladium(ii) ions a metallo-[5]rotaxane was formed with a porous Pd2L4 metal-organic cage at the core of the structure. This proof-of-principle system precedes work towards the construction of metal organic polyhedra with switchable mechano-chemical properties.