<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2006-05-08</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001023966</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>ISONICS CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>ISON</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001197761</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>BURDEN STEPHEN J</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O ISONICS CORPORATION</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>5906 MCINTYRE STREET</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>GOLDEN</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CO</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>80403</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>VP of Semiconductor Materials</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>131996</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Options</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>1.7010</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>1997-02-01</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2007-02-01</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>71429</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>71429</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Options</value>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>1.06</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2001-11-13</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2011-11-13</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>100000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>100000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Options</value>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>1.13</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2002-03-28</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2007-03-28</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>9000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>9000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Options</value>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                <footnoteId id="F5"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>.90</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2003-04-04</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2013-04-04</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>40000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>40000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Options</value>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                <footnoteId id="F6"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>1.20</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2003-12-16</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2013-12-16</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>50000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>50000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Options</value>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                <footnoteId id="F7"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>1.15</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2006-05-08</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>20000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2006-05-08</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2016-05-04</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>20000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>20000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">A grant of 71,429 incentive stock options, such as options vesting on the following schedule: 20% of total options vesting on January 1, 1998; and an additional 5% of total options vesting after each successive three-month period of employment from January 2, 1998 through January 1, 2002.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">This transaction is exempt from Section 16 pursuant to Rule 16b-3(d).</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">20,000 shares vest on November 13, 2001 and 20,000 shares vest on November 13th of each of the years 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2005.  The grant of options was subject to acceptance by the reporting person.  The resporting person accepted the options on December 14, 2001.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">Options granted by resolution of the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors as consideration for salary deferral.  The grant of the options is subject to acceptance by the reporting person by no later than April 30, 2002, which acceptance was received.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">Options granted by resolution of the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors pursuant to the 1996 Executives' Equity Incentive Plan.  The grant of the options is subject to acceptance by the reporting person, which acceptance was received on April 7, 2003.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F6">Options granted by resolution of the Board of Directors pursuant to the 1996 Executives' Equity Incentive Plan.  The grant of the options is subject to acceptance by the reporting person, which acceptance was received on December 16, 2003.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F7">Options granted by resolution of the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors pursuant to the 2005 Stock Option Plan.  The grant of the options is subject to acceptance by the reporting person, which acceptance was received on May 8, 2006.  Options vest at a rate of 5,000 shares immediately on May 8, 2006; 5,000 vest on May 5, 2007; 5,000 vest on May 5, 2008 and 5,000 shares vest on May 5, 2009.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Stephen J. Burden</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2006-05-09</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
