epoxidize styrene and ring open with br2
Ring opening to which product?
Wouldn't a ring opening wih HBr be better???
Probably. But let's await sjh9's answer.
It turns out that Styrene oxide is sold by aldrich.
A quick search on sciencedirect.com for "epoxide halogenation" came up with this abstract:
The regioselective ring opening halogenation of some epoxides using elemental iodine and bromine in the presence of a series of pyridine-containing groups has been studied. The epoxides were subject to cleavage by elemental halogen (I2 and Br2) in the presence of isonicotinic hydrazide (isoniazide) under mild reaction conditions in various solvents. In this study, reagents and conditions have been discovered with which the individual halohydrins can be synthesized in high yield and with more than 95% regioselectivity. Journal of Molecular Catalysis A: Chemical
Volume 215, Issues 1-2, 14 June 2004, Pages 55-62