In this article our attempts to tune the color of luminescence within a new class of aggregation-induced emission (AIE) active tellurophenes is reported along with computational details that include spin–orbit coupling effects so as to better understand the nature of emission in the phosphorescent tellurophene (B-Te-6-B). Despite not meeting some of the initial synthetic targets, the emission within a borylated tellurophene can be altered with the addition of an N-heterocyclic carbene.