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

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2005-09-16</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001095330</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>SYMYX TECHNOLOGIES INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>SMMX</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001201580</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>COLELLA SAMUEL D</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O SYMYX TECHNOLOGIES, INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>3100 CENTRAL EXPRESSWAY</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SANTA CLARA</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>95051</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2005-09-16</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>G</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value>E</value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>500</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0.00</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>67000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>Family Trust</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>5528</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>Family Partnership</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Bona fide gift, not for value.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Held by Samuel D. and Nancy R. Colella as trustees of The Colella Family Trust.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Held by Colella Family Partners, of which the reporting person is a general partner. The reporting person disclaims beneficial ownership of the shares held by such entity except to the extent of his individual partnership interest therein.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Anne Marie Peters for Samuel D. Colella</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2005-09-26</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
