directly brominating 2c-h hcl

[Vaaguh]

2c-h hcl dissolved in glacial acetic acid + br2 -> 2c-b hbr

Would this workout fine? Or would freebasing 2c-h hcl give some serious advantages over this method?

[Rhodium]

It works all right as long as you take the time to do what's necessary to clean up the hydrobromide salt without going through the freebase stage. The bromination creates a whole lot of very dark by-products.

Suggested procedure:

https://www.thevespiary.org/rhodium/Rhodium/chemistry/2cb.bromination.html